The Falling Stars
by k.e.williams515
Summary: Edouard Partee is an Auror for the Ministry of Magic in the beautiful city of Paris in the spring of 1965. As a seasoned Auror, there aren't too many challenges that Edouard and his wife Christiane can't handle. It is only when Edouard receives a letter from his incarcerated brother, Lestat, that a true test of his character begins in new worlds and dangerous places.
1. Part 1

Falling Stars

By

K.E. Williams

Prologue

On the Run

_September 24__th__ 1780_

"We are exposed" Were the last words General Benedict Arnold read as a sinking queasy feeling began to take over his body. He adjusted his white furled wig on his head and dabbed the beads of sweat that began to pour down his red face. Scanning the letter for a second time in disbelief, his pulse quickened as a lightheaded feeling caused his head to swim.

Looking out of his window at the early morning sunrise, he watched as a chilled fog began to lift over the lush green hillside of the Hudson River Valley in New York. There was a frost the night before and a sugary white ice blanketed the ground. Soldiers marched in formation with their tall muskets slung over their shoulders while patrolmen walked their rounds in their blue coats. It was the start of a new day as Fort West Point slowly came to life.

"I must get out now," Arnold thought to himself as he crumpled up the letter and tossed it into the fireplace of his military office. Pulling out a fresh piece of parchment, he began to write a letter that he would leave for his impending breakfast guest, General George Washington. Standing from his desk, he sealed the letter in an envelope with a red wax insignia.

"I don't have much time," He thought as he looked out of the window and saw that the orange and pink hues of the skyline were quickly turning a royal blue.

Benedict opened a box on the corner of his desk where he pulled out a brown gnarled thirteen inch blackthorn wand with a troll whisker core. Tucking the wand into the waistband of his beige pants, he headed over to the coat rack and put on his blue military jacket. Arnold took one more sweep of the room, grabbing what valuables he could carry without drawing too much attention to himself, and left his office.

"General, would you like tea to be served with breakfast for General Washington?" One of the servants asked as Benedict walked through the private dining area.

"That would be acceptable," Benedict said as he quickened his pace through the dining room and towards his private quarters. The wooden heals of his black shoes clacked against the hardwood floors of the West Point Fort. Murals of country sides and portraits of fellow officers lined the walls as he walked down the long corridor.

"General Sir!" An unrecognized voice shouted from behind.

General Benedict Arnold froze in place and slithered a single hand on his wand as he slowly turned about face to the stranger who held a salute, "yes?"

It was a soldier in military blues, wearing a tricorne hat with a letterman's bag. He was a messenger, "General Washington would like you to know that he is currently ten minutes away, Sir."

"Thank you," Arnold said with a nod before turning back around and going about his way. "Merlin's beard," He thought, "I should have just enough time to grab my things!"

Walking into his quarters and closing the door behind him, Benedict grabbed a black satin pouch and held it open. Pulling out his hooked wand from his waist band, he yelled, "Pack!" Various items began to soar across the room and into the pouch. A large leather book with gold Latin writing on the cover flew out of the closet and disappeared into the pouch.

It seemed as if everything was going to plan until one thing refused to budge, a small scale model of the West Point Fort.

"Accio Fort!" Benedict called.

"Accio Model!"

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

None of the spells worked and Benedict, who had some semblance of calm, was beginning to panic for a second time. The wards that he had placed on the model fort were too strong and it refused to be influenced by magic. It was too big for him to carry but it pained him deeply to leave it behind. Walking over to the model, he tried to pick it up but it was too heavy. Looking in the window at the horizon, Benedict watched in horror as a convoy of cavalrymen came galloping towards the fort.

"No," He thought in panic as he strained to pick up the model for a second time but it was still far too heavy for him to move. Taking a step back, he tried another array of spells and yet not a single one of them worked.

"Well at least I have the book," He thought confidently as he slung a brown cloak over his shoulders.

General Benedict Arnold fled towards the stables where his dark bay thoroughbred was already saddled. He grabbed the horse by the bridle and led it towards the side entry gate. Behind him he could hear the thundering hoofs of Washington and his cavalrymen as they galloped into the fort. Turning his head around to take a peak, he watched as the cavalrymen quickly dismounted their horses and rushed into the headquarters.

Nervously, Benedict pulled the hood of his cloak over his head to hide his identity.

At the gate, Arnold was greeted by a single soldier who was standing guard. "Good morning General! Sir!" The soldier said as he stood to attention and sent out a perfect salute.

"Obliviate!" Benedict whispered with a wave of his wand. He passed by as the soldier shook his head in a very confused manner. "Good day soldier," Benedict said, but the soldier continued to stand in confusion as he studied his clothing and looked around as if he didn't know where he was.

Once out of the fort, Benedict rode hard for the Hudson River where he immediately boarded the HMS Vulture. It was nearly high noon when they were finally floating down the river towards New York City which was still under British control.

Below deck in his quarters Benedict took a moment to collect himself before he exhaled a sigh of relief.

"I had to leave behind my most beloved treasure," He thought to himself regretfully. "I will have to come back for it one day when the war is over. At least I have this," Benedict contemplated as he looked down at the large leather bound tome with gold Latin writing. He translated the words on the cover as he ran his fingers over the warn leather, Benedict Arnold's First Edition of Rare Magical Items.

A slight swaying motion rocked the cabin from side to side as the noise of the crew above was muffled by the deck boards that separated them.

"One day I'll retrieve it," Were his last words as he looked out a starboard window and watched the fort on top of the hill slowly disappear out of sight. It was a promise that he would never have a chance to keep.

Chapter 1

Never trust a house-elf

_March 15__th__ 1964_

"This way maitre!" The small house-elf said as he waved eagerly down the dark alleyway between two large warehouses. His small feet pattered against the stone walkway causing an echo off of the towering buildings on either side. In the distance, a large boat horn trumpeted as its' vessel began to leave port.

"Vert! For the last time, call me Édouard," An out of breath wizard shouted as he struggled to keep up. "You have been a free elf for years now and have no master."

Édouard Serge Partée grabbed a stitch in his side as he stared down the alleyway with tired blue eyes that had vibrant flecks of green. His face, which contained sharp features, was red and flustered from all the running he had been doing. It was a tiring endeavor to keep up with his old house-elf who claimed that he had a "lead" for him. Feeling constrained, he loosened his baby blue tie and unbuttoned his white shirt.

"I know Édouard" Vert the house-elf replied with a friendly glint in his green eyes before disappearing around a corner. His oversized ears poked out from the back of a bowler cap that he proudly adorned on his head. The black tattered cap was his pride and joy, and a sign of his freedom. Along with his hat, Vert wore khaki Capri pants and a dirty light blue shirt.

"Wait up!" Christiane Rene Partée shouted as she dodged a man pushing a pile of boxes on a cart. She joined her husband who was hunched over with his hands resting on his knees, the powerful frame of his chest heaving in great torrents of air. Christiane pulled back her blonde hair and tied it into a knot, revealing her deep brown eyes that looked black in the shadow cast by the buildings. The curves of her body were accentuated by her black business pants and white button down blouse.

As she reached her husband, Christiane rested her hand on the small of his back and leaned down to his ear. "Come on mon amour," She whispered playfully and placed a light kiss on his wet cheek. She was soon gone around the corner to follow the house-elf with her knotted hair bouncing behind her.

"Couldn't we just have used our brooms?" Édouard muttered as he righted himself and began to run again.

The two continued to follow the elf through warehouses and tightly packed rows of containers at the port of Gennevilliers in Le Havre France. The cries of gulls screeched throughout the air as the smell of ocean filled every breathe they took.

The happily married couple was enjoying a nice dinner when the elf approached them in a panicked rush. Before Christiane and Édouard had an opportunity to ask questions, they found themselves hundreds of miles from Paris.

Édouard and Christiane entered a large empty warehouse where they found Vert standing with his hands held out wide. Dust fell from the massive roof that towered overhead and glinted like clouds of smoke in the rays of light coming in from the windows. The musty smells of rust and salt accented the air.

"Ta da!" Vert yelled as his high pitched voice echoed throughout the colossal empty space. Vert's large green eyes were filled with satisfaction as he spread his leathered slender arms. The nostrils on either side of his large pointed nose heaved in and out from the exertion of the run.

Breathing heavily, Édouard and Christiane turned their heads' in every direction finding nothing but empty wooden crates aligned against the wall.

"What are we looking for Vert?" Christiane asked as she tried to catch her wind.

"Oh, my mistake Madam!" Vert said before he snapped his fingers.

The large door behind the house-elf which stood fifty feet tall began to crank open by itself, letting in a strong chilly coastal breeze. A bright orange light of the setting sun flooded their view causing them to raise their hands over their eyes. The smoky smell of charred wood was carried in by the wind.

As Christiane and Édouard's eyes adjusted, they found themselves staring at a group of four black hooded wizards who had frozen mid operation.

A large crate that was being loaded off of a massive red and black container ship hovered by a spell in the air as something massive roared from inside.

"Dragons!" Vert said, breaking the silence.

"Dragons?" Édouard quickly fired back with worry and shock.

"Dragons!" Vert replied.

"Dragons?" Cristiane uttered as she turned to her husband who shared the same troubled look of concern.

"Dragons!" Vert yelled for a third time with pride in his voice. "I told you I had a lead Édouard!"

Chapter 2

Good News and Bad News

The Four wizards, standing before Christiane and Édouard, were wearing dark black robes with deep purple masks that concealed their identity. Their cold stares from behind the purple masks were unnerving.

Christiane leaned over to her husband Édouard and whispered, "I think they are dragon smugglers."

Édouard shook his head in agreement and cleared his throat before taking a step forward. "Um… I am Édouard Partée and this is Christiane Partée, we are Aurors for the Ministry of Magic. We would like to see your papers regarding the transport of magical creatures."

Édouard turned to his wife behind him and hunched his shoulders with an indecisive look on his face. Totally caught off guard by the situation, he wasn't really sure how he should proceed. Christiane responded to her husband with an encouraging nod.

Édouard turned around and noticed that all of the smugglers had pulled out their wands and pointed them at him. Feeling the imminent threat, Édouard reached for his back pocket where he froze.

"Christiane!" He whispered from the side of his mouth.

"Yes?" She whispered back as she grabbed her own wand in response.

"I forgot my wand in my robe."

"You what?!" She yelled aloud, "How did you forget your wand?"

"The mischievous little house-elf disapparated us before I had a chance to grab it!"

Seeing a perfect opportunity, the wizard that was controlling the crate waved his wand, causing the crate to fall from the sky. As the roaring crate hit the ground, the lid on top became ajar and flames began to spurt out. In unison the dragon smugglers began to cast their own spells, forcing Christiane, Édouard and Vert to dive for cover behind a large metal shipping container at the entrance of the warehouse. Glowing green spheres of light flew past the giant metal container and the few that hit made loud rattling "pings!"

"Vert!" Édouard yelled.

"Yes?" The Elf said as he dusted off the dirt on his bowler cap.

"Do you think you could go back and get my wand for me?"

"Right away monsieur!" Vert said with a sharp salute.

Christiane taped the Elf on the shoulder, "Oh, and Vert!"

"Yes Madam?"

"Notify the French Ministry what is going on!"

"Of course!"

The elf snapped his fingers causing a few small sparks before he disappeared into thin air. The container behind them continued to rattle and ping as another terrifying roar came from the dock.

"What should we do?" Édouard asked.

Christiane began to retie her long blonde locks of hair, "Well, you stay put until Vert comes back with your wand. I'm going to see if I can hold off these wizards before they realize that only one of us has a wand."

Christiane walked to the edge of the crate with her wand at the ready. Her ten inch wand was a beautiful light ash wood with a Veela hair core. Ripples like small waves were carved all down the length of the wand mimicking the flow of water.

Christiane spun around the corner and pointed her wand but quickly dipped back around the corner without casting a single spell.

"What is it?" Édouard asked.

"Well there is good news and bad news."

"What is the good news?"

"The dragon smugglers were flying off on their brooms."

"And the bad news?"

"A Hungarian Horntail has just crawled out of that crate they were moving."

A second deafening roar filled the air as the ground began to shake beneath their feet.

Édouard ran his hands through his dirty blonde hair as he began to think, "Well how big could it be? That crate wasn't that big. Do you think you could wrangle it?"

"Oh that crate definitely had some spatial magical properties because the creature that is coming out of that container is enormous. I would not be shocked if it was an Alpha."

"Wizards and their creatures!" Édouard said as he slammed his fist against the metal container behind him. "Well we can't let that thing lose on the French seaboard. We need to find a way to distract until the rest of the ministry gets here."

Christiane placed a hand over her husband's mouth as her big brown eyes widened. With her wand she made a shushing motion. Édouard was confused until he realized what had frightened his wife, it was too quiet.

The hairs on Édouard's arm began to stand on end as a deep heavy sound came from above their heads. It sounded as if a massive tank was filling with air. Slowly tilting their heads up, they locked gazes with a set of massive yellow glowing eyes of the dragon overhead. The gigantic reptilian head tilted to one side before the spine ridges along the back of the head stood on end.

"Protego!" Christiane yelled as she waved her wand over her head as an immense plume of yellowish blue fire came billowing down on them.

The metal container that they had used to shield themselves turned a brilliantly bright white before it started to melt into slag. The intense flame engulfed them everywhere the shield was not protecting them and the air hissed and popped from the extreme heat. Sweat poured from their bodies as Édouard huddled next to his wife who held her hand outstretched above them in an attempt to keep concentration on holding the spell. The smoke of burning metal and wooden crates filled the air and seeped into their clothes.

There was a sudden cease of flames as the dragon took another breath. Opening its large jaws, the Horntail's head shot downward to eat the two wizards below.

"Confundo!" Christiane yelled as a red glowing light smacked the dragon right on its beak like mouth. The dragon pulled its' head back and began to wave it from side to side. Rows of long terrifying ivory colored teeth glistened in the evening sun.

"Run!" Christiane said as she grabbed her husband by the sleeve. They sprinted around the large metal container that was nothing but a molten pile of metal.

"Duck!" Édouard shouted as he tackled his wife to the ground. The thirty foot spiked tail of the dragon swept inches over their heads. Christiane and Édouard lunged, rolled, jumped and dodged as they maneuvered their way around the flailing tail that violently swept from left to right. The tail violently smashed into a large kiloton shipping container and sent it flying into the air with ease.

Finally getting a safe distance away, they crouched behind a wood crate and watched as the confusion spell began to slowly wear off of the huge spiked dragon.

Christiane pointed to a large black shipping crane at the end of the dock. Below the long metal arm was a pallet of red containers dangling in the air. "I have a plan."

Chapter 3

Fire meets Water

Christiane Partée stood halfway down the shipping dock with her white wand clutched securely in her right hand. On her left hand she thumbed a gold wedding band that had a blue diamond accented by two white diamonds on either side of it. It was a nervous tick that she had performed ever since Édouard had placed the ring on her finger.

She watched as the Horntail had finally gained its senses and began to sniff around the warehouse in an attempt to find where the two wizards had gone.

Christiane raised her wand into the air and shouted "Periculum!" A red streak of fiery sparks flew high into the air before exploding in a large star shaped pattern.

The dragon's massive head instantly snapped towards the red fiery sparks as the large lizard like eyes focused on Christiane. The horntail let out a slow bellowing rattle of aggravation as it stomped one of its large winged arms against the ground.

"I really hope this works," She muttered to herself as she gave the blue stone on her wedding band one more rub. Pointing her wand towards the dark blue water at the edge of the dock, she began to slowly swirl her wand in concentric circles. The water in turn began to spin in sync with her wand.

The dragon let out a deep throttled roar and spewed fire into the air before charging down the dock towards Christiane. The concrete ground underneath her feet trembled and cracked as the dragon barreled down on her like a locomotive. The dragon bulled through containers the size of busses, tossing them like children's blocks.

Thirty meters.

Twenty meters.

Ten Meters.

Christiane could feel the roar of the dragon as it rattled deep in her chest. Just as the dragon reached her, it cocked its' head back and let loose a terrifying tsunami of incinerating flame.

"Aqua Eructo!" Christiane cried aloud as she whipped her wand towards the large wall of flame that exploded towards her.

A massive column of water came hurtling from the ocean and clashed with the flame head on. The intensity of the two primal forces meeting caused both Christiane and the dragon to be blown back. Everything went white as a massive steamy fog filled the entire surrounding area, so thick and dense that it was hard for anyone or anything to see through it.

"Christiane!" Édouard's voice called, piercing through the dense fog.

"I'm ok!" Christiane yelled back, as she slowly got to her feet. Her clothes were soaked from the water but she was grateful to still be alive. Not so far away, she could hear the grumblings of the giant Horntail that was masked by the dense steam. There was movement again, as a giant shadowy form seemed to stir just out of sight.

"Lumos!" Christiane casted as a beam of light began to funnel out of her wand.

The dragon roared again.

"Come out and play Mon Cher…" Christaine whispered out into the fog. Her heart raced and she gripped her wand tighter than ever before. As an Auror for the Ministry of Magic, she lived for these moments. Moments where she could truly test herself like the great wizards she heard about as a child.

Out of the fog, the large beak like mouth of the Horntail came plowing through with its' large sword like teeth bared.

Édouard sat nervously at the control panel above the newly formed fog and listened intently for his wife's command. He couldn't see the Horntail or his wife but knew that she was alright after she had responded to his call. He looked down at the red diamond accentuated by two white diamonds that were embedded into the gold wedding band on his left hand. The ring on his finger was identical to his wife's in all aspects except for their choice of stone color. Their choice in stone was decided based on their preferential magical ability. Where Christiane was absolutely mesmerizing with the manipulation of water, Édouard could awe those around him with his abilities in pyromancy. An ability that was useless without a wand.

Edouard was angry at himself for forgetting his wand and vowed never again to be caught off guard. "Where is that elf?" he wondered in frustration. He felt helpless, unable to protect the person he loved most. He had learned long ago to trust in Christiane's decisions and knew that their trust was the foundation of their relationship.

"Now!" Christiane's voice echoed from below.

Édouard pulled a large red metal lever on the side of the control console which was labeled "EMERGENCY." A metallic reeling sound filled the air as the dangling pallet of red shipping containers disappeared into the fog. There was a loud crashing sound as the red containers impacted below, followed by a loud splash as one rolled into the water of the harbor. Édouard saw the tail of the dragon briefly emerge from the fog before disappearing again.

Getting up from his seat, Édouard rushed outside the small cabin of the crane and looked below for any signs of his wife. "Christiane!" she shouted in alarm but there was no response.

"Christiane!" He yelled for a second time but the only thing he heard was his voice echoing in the distance. "Oh no!" He thought to himself in dread as he ran to the ladder and proceeded to slide down it. The metal running through his hands burned but he knew there was no time to spare.

Hitting the ground with speed, Édouard's ankle made a loud popping sound and he rolled onto his back. "Chrisiane!" he cried aloud. He winced as he reached for his tender ankle. Édouard got to his feet but was hardly able to stand as his ankle fired jolting waves of pain throughout his leg. His heart pounded in his chest as he stood alone in the eerie quiet of the fog. In the distance a buoy tolled out its long deep droning bells with each passing wave.

"She is… gone," He whispered to himself as a single tear began to fall down his cheek.

Suddenly Édouard's head turned to the sounds of splashing in the water.

"Édouard!" Christiane coughed from off the edge of the peer.

"Mon Amour, I am here!" He responded. Limping over to the edge of the dock he grabbed his wife's hand and pulled her up. He embraced his wife and held her tight. "I was worried for the worst my love. If you were to go, I don't know what I would do."

"I'm ok," She answered back as she wrapped her arms around him. "I'm ok."

He squeezed tighter getting soaked himself by her wet clothes but he didn't care. He was happy to have her back in his arms.

"Deprimo!" A deep voice boomed in the fog.

There was a sudden gale of wind coming from the warehouse that began to push the fog out to sea. Édouard held Christiane with one arm and sheltered her from the incoming dusty debris with the other. As the dock began to clear, they found themselves only a few feet away from the Horntail, which was knocked unconscious with a shipping container bent over its' massive head.

Standing at the entrance of the warehouse, on the other end of the dock was a group of robed Aurors. They wore black robes with blue crests that were accented by a gold fleur de lis. They were members of the French Ministry of Magic. At the very front of the group, a giant of a man stood next to a house-elf wearing a bowler cap. The imposing figure lowered his wand once all the fog had been pushed away. It was Javert Lafont, the head Auror of the French Ministry and more importantly, Édouard's father-in-law.

Chapter 4

The Hammer

Javert Lafont was rumored to be part giant he stood so tall at 6'7". With his distinguished graying hair and cold grey eyes, he was an imposing figure without effort. It was also rumored by some that he would one day be the French Minister of Magic. His nickname at the ministry was "Javert Martel" which translated to "Javert the Hammer." Where his daughter was soft, understanding and patient, it seemed that her father was the complete opposite. The man had a short fuse and every problem he encountered he treated like a nail, a nail that needed to be smashed. He was an unbending man of the law.

"I want that dragon transferred back to Hungry immediately and see if the smugglers left any evidence behind for us to track," Javert's deep voice commanded. "This ship that they used to transport, The Thyrus, find out as much as you can about who owns it."

The Aurors scattered around the dock, taking care of the various orders they had been given.

Christiane helped her husband as he limped up the dock towards Javert.

"Bonjour Papa!" She greeted endearingly.

"Salut," Javert said, as he took a few steps toward them. Raising his wand, he pointed it at Édouards now swollen ankle, "Episkey," he casted.

There was a loud snap and a pop.

"Ouille!" Édouard cried as he hopped up and down on his good leg. Tenderly putting down his foot, he realized that the pain was gone. "Merci"

Javert nodded before looking past them at the large sprawled out dragon. "You brought it down by yourselves?"

"Yes papa," Christiane answered.

"Uh hum!" Vert said as his tiny head popped out from behind Javert's legs, "For you monsieur!" The elf extended his small hand with Édouard's twelve inch black cherry dragon heart string wand. Javert looked down as Édouard took the wand from the house-elf. "Did you forget your wand Édouard?"

"Um" Édouard stammered as he tried to think of an answer that didn't make him look incompetent. "Well you see…"

Christiane took a step forward, "Father, Vert was kind enough to give us a lead but he unfortunately apparated us here before we could grab our equipment. We don't even have our robes."

"I see," Javert said wearily. "You know you should always carry your wand on you but none the less, it is still impressive that you were able to bring down a full grown Alpha female Hungarian Horntail. Can I expect a full report on my desk by tomorrow?"

"Absolutely" Édouard said.

"Good, well you two look like you've been through a lot. Unless you want to stick around to help us transport this dragon or search for evidence, you have my permission to depart."

Christiane gave her father a hug while Édouard shook his hand. They walked towards the warehouse where the crate they had used for cover was a melted pile of slag.

"Vert, you did some fine work today," Christiane said, kneeling down and giving the elf a pat on the top of his bowler cap.

"Thank you Madam!" He said with a large smile from ear to ear. His green eyes lit up in the evening sun.

Édouard looked down with a grin on his face. "You keep doing this kind of work and we are going to have to make you the first Elf Auror. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful monsieur!"

"Only one request Vert."

"Anything!"

"Next lead you bring us, please give us time to prepare."

Vert looked down at his feet with subtle disappointment in his voice. "Most definitely sir, I guess I was too excited. I…"

Christiane placed her finger under the elf's chin and raised it, leaning over she placed a kiss on the top of his bowler cap. "You did a fine job. I will see that you are properly rewarded for your service."

Standing upright, she took her husband's extended arm. Locking fingers they looked into each other's eyes before there was a sudden jolt and then a snap as they apparated from Le Havre to Paris.

Chapter 5

Make a Wish

"So you see, Vert hangs around the local taverns and markets looking for clues. When something catches his ear, he brings it to me," Édouard explained as he walked alongside his wife down a busy street. It was night time when they apparated five blocks from their house in the chilled night air of early spring.

"I guess I never realized that after I set Vert free as a teen, he really lost a lot of purpose. Vert's family had been serving the Partée family for centuries. My father was furious when I set him free but what can I say? I felt it was the right thing to do. I think Vert feared my father above all else, it was like his freedom wasn't truly his until my father passed."

"Was he hung up on the old ways?" Chrisiane said.

"Absolutely, blood meant everything to that wizard as though being born with a curtain heritage gave you privilege over others."

They walked another block before they saw the street sign for their house on the corner.

"When did Vert want to become an Auror?" Christiane asked.

"The day I joined the French Ministry," Édouard answered.

They walked down the street together, blissfully fitting in with the muggles around them. Édouard had his arm around his wife's shoulders and would slowly caress her shoulder with his thumb. Their clothes were dried with a simple spell although the smell of smoke and sea water remained.

In the crisp clear star filled night sky, a half moon shone brilliantly behind their back. Suddenly out of the dark, a radiant white ball of light burst into the sky and streaked towards the horizon before disappearing into the black of night. Although it had lasted for less than a second, the beauty of the brief moment was stunning.

"Look!" Édouard said pointing to the eastern sky. "It is a falling star!"

"Who had the last one?" Christiane asked.

"This one is yours," Édouard said, as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his wife's cheek.

"You always give them to me."

"I know. You make the best wishes!"

"Well maybe one day we will see two stars and make a wish together?"

"Yes," Édouard answered. "Now hurry up and make your wish!"

Christiane closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the chilled night air before slowly exhaling.

"What did you wish?"

"If I tell you, it won't come true!" She protested.

"Of course" Édouard said with a smile, his blue and green eyes locking with hers. They held each other in front of their brick terraced house in the city night of Paris. "You know I thought I lost you today. It made me realize just how much I truly love you. I need you. I don't know what I would do without you, or what our son would do."

Christiane smiled and stepped up on her toes to kiss her husband. Looking into his eyes she smiled a mischievous grin, "Of course you need me, especially when you forget your wand."

Édouard kissed his wife on the street in front of their house, their warm lips pressed together as their arms wrapped around each other in a tight embrace.

"Christiane, I've been thinking," Édouard said hesitantly.

Christiane took a step back, freeing herself from her husband's embrace, "I know what you are going to say, and you know I won't do it."

"But think of our son. Imagine if today didn't turn out the way it did."

"Édouard, maybe you should consider leaving the ministry, since it was you who didn't have a wand."

Édouard winced at the words as if he were hit by a physical blow.

It was an age old concern that Édouard had for his wife. He knew she was one of the best Aurors in the entire ministry, including himself, but it was still extremely dangerous work. He had pleaded for her to consider walking away numerous times but she had refused. She had wanted to be an Auror ever since she was a child. She grew up hearing stories from her father of wizards, magical creatures, and objects of lore.

"I come from a family of Aurors. It's what I have trained to do my entire life and it's the reason why we met. I won't walk away from that."

Sensing his wife's rising frustration, Édouard wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "I know Mon Amour. It's just that I worry about you. This job is dangerous and we have lost many good friends over the years. I feel like we have been lucky to walk away from so many bad situations. Maybe we are pressing our luck."

"It's our job. If anything were to happen to us, I know that my parents would happily take care of Timothee."

"But that's not their job, Christiane. That is our job."

"I know it sounds selfish but I am not ready to walk away right now. I only have one life to live and I can't imagine spending it locked away in a house or behind a desk. I will settle down one day, I promise, but please don't make me give this up. We are excellent at our jobs and it isn't luck that has kept us alive. It is our hard work, skill and dedication."

Christiane rested her head against her husband's chest. She could feel the pounding of his heart inside his warm body. The rhythmic thud of each beat was a soothing sound she found comforting.

Édouard realized that once again there was no convincing her to walk away. At the end of it all, he knew how much it meant for her to be an Auror and he never wanted her to walk away from it if she truly didn't feel like it was the right decision in her heart.

Édouard grabbed her left hand and examined the wedding ring on her finger. The blue diamond glimmered in the street light. He rotated his hand so that he could see the red stone of his ring as well. It was a sign of their love and at the same time a sign of their passion for magic. "It's been a long day, shall we go inside and go to bed?"

"Wi," she whispered, looking up at him.

They walked together up the stairs and into their terraced house which mirrored the others down the street. It was a small quaint neighborhood in the city and only a few miles away from the Eiffel Tower. It was their home, a safe comforting cozy place away from the rest of the world.

Chapter 6

The Letter

Édouard Partée opened his eyes and stared at the white tall ceiling above. The room was filled with the light of the early afternoon sun. He had slept in longer than he had expected and quickly got up. From the hall he could hear the laughter of his son Timothee downstairs along with the sounds of pots and pans rattling in the kitchen.

His legs, stomach and back were sore from the running of the previous day but the injury to his ankle was nonexistent. Walking down the stairs he found his son sitting in the living room with his magical stuffed bear.

"Un, deux, trios," The bear said as it held up its' fingers.

"Un, deux, trios!" Timothee repeated.

"Tres bien!" The brown shaggy bear said as it smiled. Its beady black eyes grew with animation.

The small two year old Timothee clapped his hands with exhilaration and leaned in to hug the bear.

Upon hearing the creak of the stairs, Timothee's attention was diverted. "Papa!" He shouted.

"My boy" Édouard said as he walked into the living room area, grabbed his son and picked him up, "you grow bigger every day!"

Looking at his boy, Édouard smiled at his pride and joy. The small boy had light blonde hair like his mother with big brown eyes. Around the eyes were small flecks of green, a family trait that had been in the Partée family since time and memorial. Timothee had also received his father's slender nose and pronounced jaw line.

"Time for lunch," Christiane called as she exited the kitchen and entered the living area. She kissed her husband and took Timothee from him. They walked into the dining area together with the stuffed bear following behind.

Christiane had prepared a nice meal of roasted chicken with a medley of vegetables. She enjoyed cooking the "muggle" way and would often avoid using magic in the kitchen. Once in a while she would find herself too tired after work and would occasionally take care of clean up with a swipe of her wand.

Although both Christiane and Édouard had grown up in strong magical families, they had both found themselves fond of muggle culture. Although they would practice magic freely, they were also keen on participating in curtain muggle practices.

Christiane and Édouard believed that they should raise their son in an environment that was both muggle and magical. They hoped that this exposure would allow him to be truly informed about both worlds and at the same time, try to hinder the magical prejudices that were known to develop in some magical households.

Édouard stabbed at the last steamed carrot on his plate before placing it into his mouth. He watched as Christiane tried feed their son.

Timothee turned his head away from the small piece of chicken and pointed to his bear who sat next to him. "Ursa!" he shouted in protest.

Christiane sighed and handed the fork to the stuffed bear who proceeded to feed Timothee. Sliding the plate of food over to Ursa, she watched as he cared for her child. He gently picked up small bite sized pieces of food before playfully delivering them to Timothee's mouth. Sometimes he would make flying broom sounds as he brought the food in while other times he would make the sounds of a locomotive. Timothee delighted in the sound effects and playful games of the bear as he accepted each bite without giving any resistance.

"They are truly the best of friends," Christiane thought as she observed the two interacting. It reminded her of her own stuffed bear growing up, Balou.

Édouard occasionally glanced at a muggle newspaper that he had placed next to his plate. Many wizards considered the muggle newspapers boring for their non moving pictures and articles that did not involve magic but Édouard saw what could be a source for potential leads. Many times what muggles considered "unexplained mysteries" could easily be explained in the magical world. Ghosts could indeed be actual ghosts or a boggart, which was a shape shifting being that took on the form of one's fear.

It was an Auror's duty to maintain peace and order in both the magical world as well as the muggle world.

"What time do we have to be in today?" Édouard asked as he flipped his paper over.

"I didn't want to wake you up early this morning because Papa said we can go in whenever. He was actually quite impressed with our work yesterday. It turns out that they found two more dragons on the ship, a whole bunch of Acromantula eggs and a unicorn."

"Acromantula eggs?" Édouard said with a shudder. The giant spiders could grow to the size of a car with black fangs the size of walrus tusks. Édouard was glad that he didn't have to face spiders without a wand. "Did we learn anything about the smuggler?"

"Papa said the ship, The Thyrus, belongs to a dark wizard simply known as the Venetian. They say he belongs to a group of powerful ancient magical families based in the Mediterranean known as the Diadochi. Why he has started dealing here in France has the Aurors office more confused than a troll taking the O.W.L. but they say it isn't good."

"Well, if he thinks he can start his dark dealings here in France, he has another thing coming. The ministry here in France is second to none. We have the best Aurors in the entire magical world and I don't care what they think on the other side of the Channel, we are the best."

"That's what I said," Christiane responded as she stood from her chair and grabbed her husband's empty plate. She had her hair tied back away from her face and was already dressed for work. She wore grey pants with a white blouse.

Édouard pulled his wand from his pocket and pointed to a candle in the middle of the table. Looking back into the kitchen he checked to make sure his wife was preoccupied.

"Timothee," He whispered in an attempt to get his son's attention.

The small toddler looked away from the bear and watched as his Father flicked his wand and caused the candle to light.

"Avem Ignis" Édouard whispered and flicked his wand at the flame.

The small fire shuttered for a second before a miniature phoenix of flame soared out and flew into the air. It made a small screeching sound as it flew and then dove as it tucked its' flaming orange and yellow wings. Before hitting the table the small bird opened its' wings and climbed high into the room where it circled around the ceiling light.

Timothee went wild at the sight of the bird and pointed is small pink finger at it as the pheonix flew around the room.

"You see my son? This is how magic should be. It should always be beautiful," Édouard whispered as she placed a hand on his son's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Many will use their talents for their own gains, but always remember that it is our responsibility to use our gifts for beautiful things, to help and to love."

"Papa! Bird!" Timothee shouted again as he made a high pitched squeal of joy. "Look Ursa! Bird!"

"Édouard!" Christiane yelled from the kitchen. "You better not be starting fires in my dining room! Last time you set our curtains on fire!"

"No mon amour!" Édouard called back innocently as he flicked his wand and caused the fiery phoenix to disappear into a wisp of smoke.

Édouard turned back to his son and held a finger to his mouth, making a shushing gesture. Timothee copied his father by raising his finger in the same manner. Édouard smiled at his son's mimicry and leaned over and kissed him on the top of his head. "I love you," He whispered before standing from the table.

There was a loud knock at the door and Édouard walked from the dining area, over to the front door and opened it.

"Bonjour!" A postman said as he handed over a stack of envelopes.

"Bonjour monsieur Alfred," Édouard said with a wave as he watched the pink faced heavy set man waddle down the stairs and onto the next house. He carried a large beige heavy sack of letters in a lettermen's bag.

"How our world's could benefit from each other," Édouard thought to himself as he watched the mailman. "Just a simple swipe of a wand or a magical bag and he wouldn't have to struggle with all that post. Ah, c'est la vie," He shrugged and closed the door.

"Who was it?" Christiane asked.

"Alfred," Édouard responded as he flipped through the mail until he reached a dirty cream colored envelope that stopped him in his tracks. It was sent from "Palate Street."

"What's wrong?" Christiane asked as she entered the hallway to the front door. She was drying her hands with a small towel from the kitchen.

"It's nothing," Édouard said slowly as he held the letter in his hand. Quickly flipping to another envelope he tried to act normal. "Bills, bills and more bills, my love. Good thing the ministry pays us in gold, wi?"

Édouard followed his wife into the kitchen and placed the stack of envelopes onto the counter while removing the creamed colored envelope from the stack and tucking it into the back of his pajama bottoms. Walking over to his wife he leaned over to her and gave her a kiss. "Lunch was magnificent. I am going to get ready for work. Do you need any help?"

"I am fine my love," Christiane said as she scrubbed a pot in the sink using a sponge.

Édouard grabbed his son from his high chair and placed him into the living room along with Ursa before heading up the stairs and into the bedroom. Closing the door behind him, he headed into the bathroom where he turned on the water before pulling out the beige envelope.

"Palate Street" was an anagram he had not seen in seven years, an anagram which was encoded from the name "Lestat Partée." A name which belonged to Édouard's twin brother, a brother who now resided in the deep dark jail cells of Azkaban.

Édouard opened the envelope with his finger and pulled out the aged paper letter inside. Unfolding the letter, hands trembling from a sudden rush of nervousness, he began to read.

Chapter 7

Heroes for a Day

_My Dearest Brother Édouard,_

_I am sorry for not being in your life these past years. I have been locked away in what is one of the most damning places I have ever been. Father once told me that the only thing a man truly possesses is his name and I feel that mine has been ruined. I know you have no reason to believe me but I urge you to listen to me just once. I am innocent. In these dark cells where the screams of those around me never subside, I have been informed of those who were truly responsible for the crimes I am being punished for. I know how I can prove my innocence if only I were free of these walls and then I could bring those guilty of my purported crimes to justice. If you have any remaining love for me, please meet with a man by the name of Samuel Redd. He will be at a tavern called "Goblin's Galleon" on the fifteenth day of the third month at high noon._

_Forever with Love,_

_Lestat Partée_

There was a sudden crackling sound as the letter in Édouard's hands began to crinkle and change. The thin beige stationary grew thick and fibrous as it turned into a dirty soiled cloth. The letters that were once an elegant series of black inked swirls turned into crude red stains. In an instant, Édouard found himself holding a blood stained brown rag.

"Blood magic" Édouard whispered to himself in shock. "That's how he got the letter out."

Blood magic was one of the oldest forms of magic known in the wizarding world. As technology advanced and made things easier in the muggle world, so too did magic evolve in the wizarding world. New spells, better wands, better brooms were being developed everyday but that didn't mean older forms of magic didn't work. In order to perform a spell using blood magic, the wizard or witch needed to perform a sacrifice of oneself or of another. Seeing that his brother was locked away with no wand, he knew Lestat had performed self sacrifice. Blood magic was painful and excruciating to perform, often leaving the conjurer weakened or injured. Édouard imagined Lestat must of had to have been in a very bad place in order to perform such a conjuring.

"My brother…" Édouard said aloud before placing the bloody rag into the sink and setting it alight with his wand. "He watched the yellow dancing flames and began to recall the autumn of third year."

_Fifteen Years Prior_

It was surprisingly cool that day in the south of France and school had just begun less than a week before. The sky was a deep royal blue and it was still early enough in the year that everything was still green. Students walked to and fro in their blue and gold uniforms as they headed to class, the dorms or the dining hall. The small first years weaved in and out between the bigger kids as they ran to class, still fearing the possibility of being late, while the older students nonchalantly took their time. On the quad, two rather large sixth year boys passed a quaffle back and forth while a group of fourth year girls ogled from a nearby bench.

"There is no way that Achille Henry is a better seeker than Agnes Berger," Lestat said in a playful taunt. "There is a reason why Agnes will be playing for the Quidditch World Cup team next year and Achille will be watching from the stands."

Édouard waved his hand dismissively at his brother as they walked to the dining hall at Pursang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a private school located in the south of France and as its name suggested, it was for only those of pure magical descent. Although the school would one day be integrated, it would not be for many years until the doors of Pursang opened for people of different magical descent.

The two boys were in their third year of school and had already developed quite the reputation for mischief. Their attitudes were bold which allowed them to make friends easily, especially when others were nervous in a given situation. They stuck together constantly and would sometimes play tricks on wizards or witches who didn't know that they were twins.

"Hey! Partée losers!" A deep voice called from the quad.

"Just ignore him," Édouard said as they continued to walk down the red bricked path. "It is Francois, he is upset that I am talking to Genevieve. She doesn't even like him, yet he keeps bothering her."

"They say the Partée's descended from ghouls and that is why they are so ugly!" Francois provoked. Francois Babineaux was a starting beater for Pursang who was taller than two meters by his fourth year. Now in his sixth year, he was an absolute colossus. His long black hair was unkempt and messy but the girls ogled over it. He had deep blue eyes and a pale complexion. His impressive skills on the pitch made him quite popular with many of the students but he was also known to be a bully at times.

"They say Partée's eat dung bombs for breakfast!" Andre Kilgour added. He was the other sixth year on the quad and was also an equally impressive specimen. He was a starting chaser for the Pursang Unicorns who were currently undefeated. It was a rare year for scholastic Quidditch in France as the ministry had pitted the schools against each other in a summer tournament instead of the traditional houses.

Lestat stopped in his steps upon hearing the second comment and slowly began to turn around with Édouard following suit. Both boys wore their hair long and shaggy as a style of protest against the clean cut hair that the adults fashioned.

Lestat cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled, "Well, you guys must be half dog because I've never seen two people kiss each others' butts as much as you guys do!"

There was a sudden hush in the crowd as the group of wizards and witches standing near Francois and Andre let out a deep "ooo!"

"I bet you won't say that to my face!" Francois said, his pale complexion turning bright red. He took the quaffle that was tucked under his arm and punted it a mile in anger.

Lestat started walking towards the two towering sixth years with a look of determination. His blue green eyes blazed with a calm resolve. Édouard was following quickly behind his brother with his wand already in hand but held behind his back, out of sight.

Now only a few feet away from Francois, Lestat realized that a small crowd had formed around them. "What I said!" he yelled turning in a slow circle so that everyone could hear, "Is that I would rather kiss the fiery behind of a blast ended screwt than look at you ugly lot."

Now the crowd, that had once been extremely quiet, exploded into a fit of laughter. Francois who looked like he couldn't turn any more red was absolutely fuming along with his accomplice, Andre.

Francois took a step towards Lestat but Édouard was quick to pull out his wand and have it pointing at the enraged bull.

"Ah ah!" Édouard said in a very calm voice. "Now you guys started this but I feel like if we all go our separate ways, we can call it even."

"Never…" Francois grumbled. "This ends here Édouard! It's about time you stay away from Genevieve!"

"She doesn't even like you," Édouard fired back. "You annoy her more than a swarm of pixies."

"Silence!" Francois' voice boomed as he pulled out his wand. Andre did the same. "Duel" He said coldly.

There was a sudden commotion of hushed whispers as everyone in the crowd gossiped with excitement. The sixth years cheered on the two older boys while the first years worked their way through the crowd to get a better look at all the commotion.

Lestat's eyes widened with excitement, "Deal."

"Andre and I versus you two Partée dogs" Francois sneered. He turned to Andre who had a cocked grin of confidence.

The older sixth years of the group began to widen a path through the crowd of blue robed students in order to make a casting lane. Édouard spotted Genevieve in the crowd and smiled at her, who in turn smiled back. She was an attractive fifth year with dark brown hair, chestnut eyes and striking beauty. For the past few years she was dating a seventh year but they had ended their relationship over the summer. Édouard had always had a connection with Genevieve ever since she invited him to join dueling club. Even though he would never tell anyone other than Lestat, deep down he wondered if he had a shot at dating her.

"Okay, you take big and ugly and I'll take slow and stupid," Lestat strategized as they began to walk to the other end of the parted crowd. He pulled out his eight inch walnut wand with dragonheart string core. The wand had a very special handle causing the wand to look like an upper case "T" Lestat held the wand like a wooden corkscrew, which created a very unique grip since the shaft of the wand protruded from in-between his ring and middle finger. Elaborate flames were carved along the shaft of the wand from the bottom to the point.

"Which one is slow and stupid?" Édouard said with a laugh as he removed his traditional twelve inch cherry dragon heartstrings wand.

By now the whispers had turned into murmurs as the crowd looked on in amazement.

"I can't believe they are taking on sixth years!" Noemi whispered to Anastasie who just nodded her head dreamily.

"They're so dead," A small first year stammered in horror.

"EXPULSO!" Francois voice casted from behind Édouard and Lestat's back. There was a loud bang and a powerful thud as both boys were sent hurtling through the air and crashed onto their stomachs on the hard ground. Édouard let out a wheezy gasp as the air was knocked out of him while Lestat coughed out a mouth full of grass and mud.

Quickly gaining his composure, Lestat stood to his feet. "You casted when we had our backs turned!"

"There are no rules in a true duel!" Francois snickered.

"Locomotor Mortis!" Andre said with a wave of his wand.

Lestat's legs locked together and he fell onto his back next to Édouard who had finally stopped wheezing.

There was a sudden roar of laughter as the crowd watched Lestat struggle on the ground to move his legs.

"Well, this isn't going as well as I had hoped," Lestat said with a wince as he wiggled on the ground.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Francois' voice said from over their shoulder.

Édouard instinctually rolled out of the way without even looking back to where the curse had come from. A second year in the crowd was hit square in the chest and his body became as rigid as a statue. He began to fall back but one of his buddies caught him.

"That was close," Édouard said to himself. "If I get caught by one of those it is game over!"

Édouard pointed his wand at his brother, "Finite Incantatem!"

Lestat's legs were suddenly free, allowing him to get to his feet. Looking down towards the other end, they watched as Francois and Andre gloated and danced before the crowd which began to laugh.

"Fran-cois! Fran-cois! Fran-cois!" they chanted causing the crowd to follow suit.

The twins took a dueling stance which they had practiced many times against each other. "I have dumb, you get ugly!" Édouard commanded with cold fortitude.

"You got it!" Lestat replied.

The two sixth years took notice that their combatants were back on their feet and also took a casting stance as well.

"You want some more?" Francois asked.

"We're just getting started," Édouard answered with a smirk.

The two pairs of wizards casted at each other simultaneously. Green and red orbs of light passed each other as they hurtled to the other ends. Francois ducked out of the way, while Andre was able to deflect his incoming curse.

Édouard and Lestat casted shielding spells which caused the green orbs of light to rebound into the crowd. One boy caught a spell in the face, causing his hair to fall out in clumps while another had his teeth grow wildly from his mouth.

"Okay, let's do this!" Édouard said and pointed his wand back at Andre. "Obscuro!"

A blind fold smacked across Andre's face.

"Mobilicorpus!" Lestat spoke less than a second later.

Andre lifted off the air as he struggled with the blindfold that was tightly wrapped around his face. "What is this?!" He struggled as his body began to hover above the ground.

"Stupefy!" Édouard conjured, causing Andre to fall unconscious. "One down" he thought to himself before looking at his brother and giving him a nod.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Francois casted for a second time as he worked to get to his feet.

Édouard blocked the spell easily with a simple wave of his wand.

There was a sudden awe from the crowd.

"Third years that can block!" A sixth year girl said in amazement.

"You already used that one," Édouard said coldly before pointing his wand into the air. "Avem Ignis!" A large fiery phoenix flew from a large ball of fire at the end of his wand and the roaring screeching bird climbed into the air.

A sudden "Wow!" came from the crowd as they watched the large phoenix soar high into the sky.

Seeing that Francois was taken captive by Édouard's display, Lestat aimed his wand at the distracted sixth year. "Incarcerous!"

A series of black ropes wrapped around Francois body, leaving him immobilized and unable to move.

"Expelliarmus!" Édouard shouted.

Francois wand was sent flying from his hand and into the crowd, leaving the beater helpless.

"What were you saying about us?" Édouard questioned as he pressed his wand to his neck, causing his voice to be amplified.

"Accio robe!" Lestat said as he grinned. Francois' blue robe was ripped from his body and went flying towards Lestat who caught it and let it fall to the ground.

"You said we were descendents of ghouls?" Edouard asked.

"Accio shoes!" Lestat said, as they both walked closer towards the helpless wizard.

"You will leave Genevieve alone!" Édouard said, finally showing his first signs of anger in his voice. "And you will leave me and my brother alone!"

"Accio Pants!"

The entire group of students erupted into uncontrollable laughter as the shredded grey pants of Francois went flying into the air. "Par-tée! Par-tée! Par-tée!" the crowd shouted in unison as they surrounded the two victorious third years.

They dueled like adults and it was something that Francois and Andre had not anticipated. Although their victory did not come without cost for Francois and Andre would become their adversaries for their remaining years at Pursang.

"What's going on here!" A professor demanded as he made his way through the crowd. Coming to the opening he saw the two dirty third years on one end, and two very disheveled sixth years on the other.

It was professor Lilyhammer, the professors against the dark arts. He was known for his strict demeanor and quickness to hand out detentions. Head of Wolf Fang House, he was the head of house for both Partée boys. With a single wave of his wand he freed both sixth years from the various jinxes and curses that they had succumb to.

"We aren't starting impromptu duels again, Mr. Babineaux," Lilyhammer said in a very even tone to which Francois responded with a shake of his head. "Good, because it would be a shame for me to have to give you a detention during our next match against the Beauxbatons. I hear they are pretty good this year. Now grab your clothes and take Mr. Kilgour to the infirmary."

Francois grabbed his clothes before he carried his friend over his shoulder. They trudged off from the quad into one of the tall nearby buildings.

"Alright! Everyone back to class!" Lilyhammer yelled and the group of students instantly scattered in every direction.

"Except for you two!"

Lestat and Édouard stopped dead in their tracks and slowly turned around as their professor walked over. Édouard looked at the ground while Lestat looked the professor in the eye.

"You Partée boys are quite the duelers," Lillyhammer said leaning in towards the boys in a hushed voice so that no one else could hear. "I've watched those two terrorize the school for six years now. Their fathers were just the same. It's good to see you peg them down to size. Five points for Wolf Fang. Just make sure you two don't put on a show like this again."

Édouard and Lestat looked at each other with gleeful smiles on their face.

"Now you two get going!" Lillyhammer said in a louder voice so that all the students could hear.

Édouard and Lestat grabbed their belongings and hurried off towards the mess hall where their friends were eagerly awaiting them.

_Present Day_

"They called us Heroes," Édouard recalled as he turned on the faucet and washed the ashes of the rag down the drain.

Édouard showered and dressed for work. Staring in the mirror, he adjusted his blue and gold tie, still distracted by the thoughts of his brother. He checked his gold watch and saw that he had five minutes until high noon. It was a hard decision to make in the end but he decided it was a good lead if this Samuel Redd wizard knew the truth about his brother.

Édouard walked downstairs to find his wife knelt down, buttoning Timothee's coat. She was already dressed in her black Auror's robes. She looked up when she saw her husband coming down the stairs and gave him a smile.

"I am going to drop off Timothee at mother's before I head into work," She explained.

Édouard reached the bottom of the stairs and walked over to his wife, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Sounds good to me, I am going to head out in a little bit. I think my stomach is acting up, I think I will pick up an elixir from Madam Renee's Shop.

"Awww" Christiane said as she placed a hand to his forehead. "I hope you are not getting sick."

"It's nothing. Probably nerves from yesterday," He replied.

"Okay, well if you are not feeling better, don't feel like you have to come in. It's better to rest and be healthy. We always need to be sharp."

Édouard helped his wife as she grabbed a bag with Timothee's items and toys, and watched her as she went down the stairs and walked down the street towards his mother-in-laws house which was only a few blocks away.

Édouard shut the door and locked it before heading back upstairs and changed into a common black robe. He only had a few minutes until high noon and didn't know if Samuel Redd was the kind of wizard that would bug out if someone was late. Grabbing his wand, he gave it a slight wave, causing him to disapparate straight out of the room.

Chapter 8

The American

The Goblin's Galleon was a tavern in Gobbledegook City. The goblin metropolis of Gobbledegook City was located directly under Paris and was connected by the ancient tunnels of the French sewer system. The air was warm and humid and the musty smell of sewage, sulfur and methane filled the air. At the center of the city was a grand hall which mirrored the cathedral of Notre Dame but was larger by an order of magnitude. Stone pillars towered over the inhabitants extending high above to the buttressed ceilings. The orange glow of lamps and torches lit up the taverns, shops, and homes that were built directly into the walls of the grand hall. Water trickled through the stone cracks as green slimy algae grew in the dark tan stone work.

As Édouard walked about, he heard the raspy dialect of the goblin language of Gobbledegook and the deep bellowed language of the ghouls. It was a sea of short pointy ears with the occasional wizard strolling through. The wizards stuck out as they towered over the waist high goblins and would often be on the receiving end of weary stares. The history between wizards and goblins was tumultuous, leaving a lack of trust on both ends.

"Get your fresh Coneys!" A goblin merchant called as he pushed a small cart of dangling rabbits.

"Mushrooms! Fresh Mushrooms!" Another goblin advertised.

Édouard walked through the dense city crowd, careful not to step on any feet. He wore plain black robe in an attempt to fit in. If he was wearing his Auror robes, he would have stuck out like a sore thumb.

At the very end of the grand city center was the Imperial Goblin Bank of Paris. It was rumored by the wizarding world that more gold was stored in that single bank then all the other major wizarding banks put together. Goblins obsessed over gold, they horded it, they counted it, and they loved it. The IGBP was a large golden pyramid that glowed in the torch light of the underground city, with its impressive golden brick walls sloped upwards like the Louvre pyramid. The bank was the only building that wasn't built into the walls and the only building not made of stone.

In front of the bank stood a tall three story statue of a crowned goblin resting his hands on the hilt of a silver broadsword. Encrusted onto the hilt of the sword were the largest red gems that Édouard had ever seen. At the base of the statue was an elaborate plaque engraved with the name "Ragnuk the First." Small heads bobbed two and fro as they walked around the statue in front of the bank.

Édouard saw a sign of a galleon with an arrow pointing toward a side tunnel. His shoes splashed in a trickling stream as he walked down the dark sewer passageway where an undersized building glowed at the end. Dangling from the ceiling was a sign of a goblin biting a golden coin. A hairy knobbled ghoul sat outside the door, watching the passersby as he sipped at a brown clay jug.

"Sit in the big chairs only!" The ghoul murmured as Édouard entered the Goblin's Galleon.

Walking into the tavern, Édouard was suddenly hit by the noxious smell of stinkhorn fungi sausage. It was a favorite food of the goblins but its pungent smell was a turn off for any other creature with a nose.

Scanning the tavern, it felt as if everything was miniaturized, even the pub itself was too small for any large creature to sit. The tavern was packed to the gills with small magical creatures as goblin servers ran back and forth delivering food and drink. In the corner, a group of free house elves excitedly played a game of gobstones. Their high pitched voices hooted and hollered as an elf wearing one glove took on an elf wearing an oversized shirt.

Édouard's eyes moved throughout the tavern for a second time before he realized that he didn't know what Samuel Redd looked like. The letter didn't mention if Samuel Redd was a goblin, ghoul, elf, wizard or maybe even some other obscure creature that he had not encountered before.

"Excuse me sir," Édouard said to a passing goblin that was carrying a tray of raw meat and stinkhorn fungi sausage.

"What is it wizard?" The goblin asked with vinegar in his voice.

"Do you know a man by the name of Samuel Redd?"

"In the back where the big folk eat" the goblin answered before walking over to a table and placing down the tray of food.

Édouard walked to the back door that was sized for wizards and larger folk. It was a pleasant relief when he got to the back and found that it was empty except for one wizard in the corner and a werewolf who was cleaning up behind a bar. It was quiet in this back area and far more peaceful than the hustle and bustle of the previous room. The wizard in the corner of the room made eye contact with Édouard and raised a hand into the air. Édouard returned the gesture of greeting and made his way over.

"Two more butterbeers wolfy!" The wizard in the corner requested but the werewolf only acknowledged the request with a snarl.

Édouard stopped in his tracks upon hearing the foreign accent of the wizard in the corner. "You are…"

"American, the name is Samuel Redd and I presume that you are Édouard Partée?" Samuel was a Caucasian man in his early thirties with black hair and brown eyes. His facial features were attractive by convention and he had a sly grin on his face, a grin that reminded Édouard of Lestat. His hair was gelled and combed over with a distinctive part down the side. He wore black slacks with a grey vest and a matching black tie over a white button up shirt. His black shoes were polished to a high sheen that reflected the light of the chandelier overhead.

Standing up from his seat, Samuel grabbed Édouard's hand and gave it an overly aggressive shake before offering him a seat.

Édouard was weary of Samuel and looked at him cautiously, trying to get a read on him. Sensing Édouard's tentative nature, Samuel's grin faded as his expression became more serious. Reaching into a letterman's bag on the side of the table, he pulled out a small box and placed it onto the round circular table.

"We both have similar interests Édouard," He explained in a hushed voice.

"And those are?"

"I have someone in Azkaban that I care about greatly and would like to see them freed. You have someone in Azkaban that you would also like to see freed. I believe if we work together, we can achieve our ends."

"How do I know this is not a trick?" Édouard asked as he looked at the black box on the table.

Samuel grabbed the lid to the small leather box and lifted it. Tenderly placing his hands inside the box, he removed an object wrapped in a satin cloth and placed it on the table.

"What is that?"

Samuel ignored Édouard's question as he pulled away the soft flaps of fabric revealing an eight inch walnut wand in the shape of a "T." Flames were engraved along the shaft and the letters "L.P." were carved into the handle.

Édouard was speechless as his hands picked up the wand and held it. He had grown up seeing it so often that he had found it to be ordinary but after years of its absence, it was more precious than any object he had seen before. His fingers delicately caressed the inscribed lettering and he remembered how furious his father was that Lestat had "defiled" his wand. Diodore Claudius Partée's voice echoed like a long forgotten memory, "A true wizard does not need to mark his wand. It will only taint your casting ability!"

Samuel watched in silence, carefully studying the expression of Édouard before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small vial and handed it to Édouard. "This is also proof that I am here to help you, help us really."

Édouard lifted the small glass vial up to a lantern that was mounted on the wall. Inside was a small dirty blonde hair that looked identical to the ones on his head but this hair did not belong to him. It was Lestat's hair.

"I am an Auror, this could ruin me," Édouard said almost at a whisper.

"I have just as much on the table Édouard," Samuel said.

Édouard placed both the vial and the wand back onto the satin cloth, "And what about you? Who do you have locked up in Azkaban that is worth saving?"

"My wife, Mara," Samuel answered in a somber tone as he slowly closed his eyes. "I am a wizard and she is a muggle. We were walking out of a café when a group of pure bloods followed us out. They started antagonizing us, calling me blood trader and her names I don't even want to ever recall. One of them decided to use the cruciatus curse on me while another wizard forced her to watch. She was able to wiggle free from the wizard that was holding her back and pulled a pistol from out of her purse. She fired a single shot at the wizard that was torturing me. The twice cursed wretch didn't even have a way to counter the muggle weapon. It may have been the first time he had ever seen a gun. Regardless, it was enough to break his grasp on me and we were able to escape."

"So how did she end up in Azkaban? Muggles aren't supposed to be sent there," Édouard asked.

"Muggles aren't supposed to end up in Azkaban but the wizard she had shot was not only a pure blood but also a family friend to former minister Ignatius Tuft. When the Aurors took her away to stand trial, we thought we had a strong case to take to the Wizengamot but when Tuft showed up, the trial was swift and brutal. I am still haunted by the Chief Warlock's words, 'life in Azkaban.' He said those words as calmly as if he were picking out what socks he would wear. His gavel hit the grand and she was gone."

Samuel balled his fists up tightly as he stared at a spot on the table. A vein on his forehead bulged as his face turned a shade of red. "She was only trying to protect me. She carried a pistol because she grew up in a world not so different from ours. In our world we are divided by the ability to perform magic, in her world it is based on the color of your skin."

"There's a different minister now. Maybe Nobby Leach will be sympathetic towards your cause? He is a muggle born after all," Édouard said in a hopeful tone.

"No," Samuel fired back. "Change on the surface does not represent change in the waters below. Almost all of the Wizengamot is still pure blood with a vile view of how the world should be.

No, I have lost all faith in the magical system. I will free Mara from prison and there is not a single wizard on this planet that can stop me. If you will not help me Édouard, then I strongly advise you to not get in my way. Azkaban is a place for monsters, not for people. The dementors strip away all humanity of a person and leave nothing but a hollow husk.

If you have even a miniscule amount of belief that your brother has some semblance of innocence, then I strongly advise you to take up my cause because that dark pit is no place for anyone."

There was a sudden crash as the bartender who was walking over with two butterbeers, tripped over his own two feet and fell to the ground. The werewolf howled in anger as he got to one knee before pulling out a wand and waving away the mess. "Cursed goblins and their cursed jinxes," He muttered in a deep voice. "I will have two more butterbeers on the way."

"That's ok. We are about to leave," Samuel said. Pulling out a galleon from his pocket, he placed it on the table. "Thanks for your service."

"These are yours, regardless if you join me or not," Samuel explained as he pushed Lestat's wand and vial of hair across the table. Samuel leaned over and picked up his letterman's bag before standing from the table. "So, will you join me?"

Édouard sat at the table unsure as to how he should proceed. He wanted to ask Christiane for help but knew that she would turn to her father, a man who lacked the ability to feel compassion. Closing his eyes, he remembered his brother's face. "I'll do it."

Samuel smiled as he walked past Édouard and patted him on the shoulder, "We are already late for a meeting. Let's go."

"Who are we going to meet?" Édouard asked.

"The Venetian" Samuel answered.

Chapter 9

Ministry Le France

Christiane walked into the Aurors' office which had already grown quite hectic by mid day. Illegally imported blue pixies had escaped their cages and were flying around creating absolute chaos. There were blurs of blue zipping this way and that, avoiding spells, tossing papers into the air and blowing out lights.

One pixie had stolen an Auror's wand and had used it to enchant the skeleton of an Erumpent. The skeleton was seized evidence from an old case but the enchantment seemed to bring the large creature back to life. The rhinoceros like skeleton had two Auror's climbing up shelving as they tried to find the proper counter spell.

"Avoid the horn!" One Auror yelled to his partner as they curled up on the top shelf, wands pointed below.

Christiane was shocked at the bedlam that had become her department. Raising her wand into the air she called "Accio Pixies!"

The small blue creatures were suddenly pulled towards Christiane as they beat their wings hard to get away. Christiane waited until all the pixies were only a few feet away before casting "Immobulus!"

There was a concussive boom and all the pixies froze in place, slowly floating in the air. "Locomotor Pixies," She added with a quick swish and flick of her wand. Now with control over the frozen pixies she herded them with her wand into their cage. "Colloportus" she said, forcing the latch shut.

Looking around, Christiane was quite pleased with her quick work of the situation when a deep "harrumph!" from behind her back caught her attention. There was a loud thud as a heavy skeleton foot pawed at the wooden flooring.

The Erumpent let out a trumpeting call before charging down a row of desks towards Christiane. Turning to face the enchanted skeleton, she got in a ready stance, pointed her wand forward and aimed it at the long sharp horn that was pointing right at her.

"FINITE INCANTATEM!" She screamed as she made a very powerful waving motion with her wand.

The skeleton which had been very life like instantly crumbled back into a pile of lifeless bones that tumbled towards her feet. Christiane was quick to pick up the three foot horn before it made contact with anything in the room.

A disheveled Auror in a black French Ministry robe, which had been shredded in many places, ran over with his glasses askew on his head. "I will take that Madam!" He requested out of breath. "If that touches anything, we could all go boom!"

"I know," Christiane said as she carefully handed over the large horn. "Let's clean this up before my father gets back."

Christiane waved her wand to clean up a pile of scattered papers. "Does anybody need to go to the infirmary?"

"I believe we are all fine Christiane. Thank the Merlin you showed up when you did," A short Auror said as he flipped a desk right side up. "You're father would be furious if he saw what happened here."

All the Aurors began to wave their wands, causing the disheveled office to become neat and organized. Just as the last stack of folders organized themselves and neatly filed themselves away into a black metal cabinet, there were three loud "cracks" at the entrance. Standing in the doorway was the large imposing figure of Javert and his two top Aurors.

Javert took a few steps into the dead silent office where everyone was staring at him as if they had been caught doing something bad.

"Is everything ok?" He asked.

The disheveled Aurors, who were sweaty and out of breath, immediately pretended to be busy. Scanning the room, Javert looked on with apprehension before proceeding towards his office in the back of the department.

"Bonjour Papa," Christiane greeted as she walked behind her father at a hurried pace to keep up. One of his large steps equaled two of hers which made his pace of walking difficult to match.

"I was over the channel this morning investigating a break in at their ministry," Javert explained with mild annoyance in his voice. "It looks as if someone used polyjuice potion to break into the ministry of England, disguised as a member of the Wizengamot. The true member that he was imposing was under a sleeping potion most likely added to his morning tea."

"What did this imposter do?" Christiane asked.

"The problem is that they do not know what this imposter did. That building is so big he could have taken any number of things, potions, wands, evidence, or even galleons. Merlin's beard if he took a Time-Turner. Not only could this perpetrator be anywhere but now he could be at any when. They assure me that the Time-Turners are all accounted for but they have to go back and make sure that none of them are fakes. I tell you their security and protocol pales in comparison to the strict discipline we run here."

"Maybe you should leave them some tips on your own protocol?"

Javert stopped walking and turned to face his daughter. His gaze was drawn away to a cage of frozen floating pixies, causing an inquisitive expression to slowly come over his face.

"Papa!" Christiane said in an attempt to distract her father. "What about the ship we investigated yesterday? Is there any way that it could be connected?"

"Perhaps, but we don't know until they go through their entire inventory and find out what was stolen. There is a good chance that we will never know what was taken if the imposter replaced the items with good enough counterfeits."

Javert ran a large hand through his thick black graying hair. His eyes seemed distracted as his brain churned over the case.

"So why did they call you over to the English Ministry for a case?" Christiane asked.

"It's part of a new program between our two ministries. Since magic has no boarders, the Ministers of Magic feel that we need to integrate our Ministries so we can get a better picture of what is going on in the darker circles of magic. If anything peculiar happens over here, then we can contact their ministry to see if it helps solve their case and vice versa."

"Well that makes sense."

"Speaking of this whole joint task force, I have something for you," Javert said, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small manila envelope. He handed it to his daughter who proceeded to open it. Tilting the end over, a small golden galleon fell onto her palm.

"Pay raise?" Christiane joked.

"Not with those," Javert answered in a staid tone. "It's a counterfeit, a really good counterfeit. The English ministry says that this came from France. They also said the chief goblin banker at Gringotts nearly grew a foot taller with anger when he found out that this little coin almost made it into one of his vaults."

"Do you want me to take it to the IGBP?"

"No, a counterfeit that good, I'm guessing it was an inside job." Javert explained. He pulled out his wand and waved it towards his office. A filing cabinet opened and a file flew across the room, out the door and into his hand. "This is all the information they have forwarded to us so far."

"I'll get on that right away." Christiane said excitedly as she peered into the file.

"By the way, do you have the report of yesterday's events ready yet?" Javert asked.

"I just got in but that was the first thing on my list."

"Good," Javert said with a grin before placing one of his hands on his daughter's shoulder. "I was very proud of you yesterday. I told your mother about how much of a wonderful Auror you have become."

"Thanks papa," Christiane responded, "But Édouard also helped."

"Yes but maybe he could have helped a little more if he remembered his wand. It's mistakes like those that get Aurors killed. I was thinking, what if I got you a different partner?"

"No papa," Christiane instantly protested. "We have worked together for years. I would not feel safe if I worked with anyone else."

"You don't understand, this isn't his first mistake. Do you remember the time he caused that avalanche in the Alps? All you guys had to do was wrangle a mountain troll that had wandered into a muggle village."

"Of course I remember."

"Or what about that time when he foolishly barged into the room with that dark witch, and he was hit by an obliviate charm. It took us two full weeks to undo that hex."

Christiane sighed, "For every mistake that my husband has made in the field, there are ten times the number of instances where he has saved my life. We understand each other and that is what makes us such good partners. He will always have my back no matter what."

"You know what they say about the Partée family," He muttered.

"I am done with this conversation. I am a Partée now!"

"Yes you are, although it seems that your PARTNER, has failed to arrive to have your back, again," Javert said. "I expect that report on my desk no later than the end of the day. When you see Édouard, have him report to my office."

"Yes Javert," Christiane said, matching her father's tone, her brown eyes met his in an equally determined stare. She gave her father a slight nod before walking away towards her desk. Sitting down she let out a frustrated sigh before tucking back a few fallen strands of her blonde hair. Between her father suggesting a new partner and Édouard wanting her to leave the Auror's department, it felt as if the men in her life did not understand her.

Christiane placed the new case file on her desk along with the small manila envelope. She held up the counterfeit gold galleon in her hand, turning it a few times and studying it's every detail. Finding no visible difference between the counterfeit and the real thing, she placed it back onto her desk. Pulling out a quill and a piece of parchment, she dabbed the quill into the black ink well on her desk.

"Where are you Édouard?" She wondered before she started to write.

Without warning, there was a loud "crack" as Vert apparated next to Christiane's desk.

"Madam! I have a lead!" Vert yelled as his big green eyes brimmed with excitement. "I think?"

"What is it Vert?"

"Well, ok, so, come with me and I will take you there!" He explained with a small hop. He rested his small hands on her desk as his black bowler cap slid back on his head. "I was in the Goblin's Galleon with a few of my house-elf friends when I saw Édouard! You see, I was watching Dipsy play gobstones against Ver. Ver was up three stones to her two. She isn't that good. So Ver was making a play towards…"

"Vert, did you say you saw Édouard?!" Christiane interjected, trying to get the house-elf's story back on track.

"Yes! He walked straight into the tavern and went into the back room where he was talking to this wizard who had a really funny accent! So I decided that I would sneak into the back room and see what was going on. I didn't hear what they were saying but the wizard he was talking too, got really sad. That's when the bartender tripped over me because he couldn't see me. I was using a disillusionment charm! He thought it was a goblin hex but it wasn't. You see I am very good at disillusionment charms and…"

"Vert, the story. Please!" Christiane pleaded.

"Oh yes, sorry. Whatever they were talking about ended and they left. I followed them out and they started walking towards the bank. That's when I decided I would get you! I've heard some strange things about a dark wizard living in that bank."

"Who was he talking to and where is this bank?" Christiane questioned as she still tried to process this torrent of information.

"Gobbledegook City!" He yelled jumping up and down. He placed a hand on top of his bowler cap so it didn't fall off his head.

"Great Auror's work Vert!" She said as she patted him on the head. "Let me get some Aurors to come with us."

Christiane grabbed her wand and recruited the help of two Aurors that she had worked with before. She had a flood of questions she wanted to ask Vert like, "Why was Édouard working alone?" and "Who is this wizard that he was meeting with?" If anything, she hoped that this lead would result in another big break for them so that she could prove to her father that Édouard was indeed a great Auror.

Chapter 10

The Imperial Goblin Bank of Paris

Édouard and Samuel walked through a sea of goblins as they headed towards the large golden pyramid at the end of the road. They passed the great goblin market of Gobbledegook where gems, gold bars and precious magical artifacts were traded. Their ears were filled with an overwhelming chorus of the harsh sounds of the goblin language.

"The muggles have a market like that in New York," Samuel said as they walked by. "Only they trade pieces of paper instead of actual objects of value. It's a strange practice. I wonder how a piece of paper could be a part of a company."

"I am sorry if this sounds invasive but what do you do?" Édouard asked.

"I am a teacher at the Salem Witches Institute. I teach the ancient Native American skill of healing. It was an art that vanished with the people. They had medicines that were ten times more effective than what we have today," Samuel explained. "I even have this."

Samuel dug his hand into his shirt and pulled out a long silver chain. Dangling from the chain was a small gold pendant with red and yellow stones in the shape of a phoenix.

"What is it?"

"It holds one phoenix tear. One of the pinnacle tools of healing, incredibly rare. It can heal almost any poison or any wound. It was a gift from the headmaster back at Salem," Samuel said as he watched the golden phoenix dangle on the chain. Noticing a few goblins around him take notice of the glinting pendant, he quickly tucked it back into his shirt.

"Goblins and their gold" He muttered under his breath.

Édouard turned to Samuel with an inquiring look on his face, "So, I've been wondering. How did you get my brother's wand?"

"It was a simple matter of breaking into the Ministry of Magic in England."

"Simple?"

"Yes. If breaking into Azkaban was as simple as breaking into the ministry, my wife would be free and back in my arms. You see, all I had to do was find a senior member of the Wizengamot who lived alone. From there it was a few drops of sleeping draft in his morning tea, a few hairs from his head and a vile of polyjuice potion.

I was able to walk through the ministry without a single wizard taking notice. I retrieved your brother's wand amongst a few other things and headed out."

"No one was suspicious?"

"Well, there was one wizard who seemed to take a particular notice of me. He had long grey hair and a long grey beard. He was wearing grey robes with a matching hat that had fallen to one side. He had these blue eyes that made me feel as if he was looking right past the polyjuice disguise. While other wizards nodded and went about their business, he was the only one to stop and stare. For a moment I was worried until he was called away."

"Who was it?"

"The wizard that called him away said, 'Albus' I think? After the way he looked at me, I didn't want to stay around there for much longer. I even took another swig of polyjuice just to make sure I wasn't transforming back," Samuel explained. His eyes seemed to stare ahead as he remembered the encounter.

"Look there, Ragnuk the First" Édouard said as he pointed to the large statue ahead. The two large emerald eyes of the statue caught the light just enough to give them a green glow. The intricate work of the silver sword that the statue held became more evident the closer they got.

The wizards entered a large open forum where the statue towered above the inhabitants of the city. "They say that this bank was originally the goblin palace of Ragnuk and that the sword he is resting his hands on was stolen by a wizard. He built his palace deep underground, where only goblins could go and he made his palace out of gold as a sign of his wealth and power."

"It is impressive," Samuel noted.

Edouard pointed to the buttressed ceiling far above, "In fact the tip of the palace lines up directly with the tip of the pyramid at the Louvre. Although the pyramid above ground was built much later, the ministry once investigated to see if the goblins had an influence on the muggles' decision to build it."

"And the verdict?"

"The Wizengamot could not make a decision either way. A blatant violation of the muggle world by goblins would warrant action from the ministry but since nothing could be proven, no action was taken."

They walked up the black and gold steps towards a large series of doors at the base of the building. The steps were smaller in size for the small feet of goblins which allowed Édouard and Samuel to take a few stairs at a time. The stairs were highly decorative with gold inlay that swirled like vines. At the top of the stairwell, a line of goblins stood perfectly still in their black and gold robes. Each Goblin had a silver sword at his waist.

"Imperial sentries" Édouard whispered. "You try to steal from this place and you have to answer to them."

Édouard gave another passing glance at the sentries as they walked by, "Excuse me Samuel, but why is the Venetian in the bank?"

"The Venetian is a very secretive man and he prefers to operate behind the scenes. He is a smuggler, trader and merchant of rare objects. It's a very lucrative business which is why he has such good standings with the goblins. I have yet to meet a goblin that will turn away gold, even if the source of that gold may be questionable. His business of gold in exchange for some form of asylum is what they probably have worked out."

"And how are we supposed to get to him into this bank?"

"He sent me a key," Samuel explained as he patted the letterman's bag that he carried.

They walked into the large lobby of the goblin bank and past a foreboding warning that was written into the floor. An impressive crystal chandelier of many different rotating tiers floated overhead. At its core a brilliant bright ball, similar to that of the sun burned with a radiant orange glow. The free floating crystals rotated through the air like millions of tiny planets, sending twinkling beams of light in every direction.

The floor was black granite, similar to the material for the stairwell, only there were small shards of iridescent crystal inside the ground that mimicked stars. Rows upon rows of goblins worked behind tall podiums, inspecting gems and gold. A goblin lifted his head from his work and waved Samuel and Édouard over to his station.

"My name is Garnak. How may I help you wizards today?" The goblin asked in a high pitched inquisitive voice. He was wearing black and white dress robes with the long gold chain of a pocket watch dangled from his chest pocket.

"We need access to vault 515," Samuel answered.

"Do you have a key?"

Samuel looked into his bag and pulled out a long slender gold key and placed it into the long willowy fingers of the goblin. Garnak's nails brushed against the key as he examined its' authenticity.

"Right this way gentleman," Garnak said as he looked up from a pair of glasses that rested low on his nose.

The goblin banker escorted the two wizards down a long corridor towards a set of large golden doors. Garnak walked up to the doors and ran the long nail of his pointer finger as if he was signing his name. There was a heavy "thunk" from behind the doors before they slid open.

They filed into the elevator and watched as the doors closed behind them. Garnak took the long slender golden key and placed it into a keyhole in the wall. Turning the key caused another series of mechanical sounds of rotating gears, locking metal clasps, and heavy pistons. There was a slight shudder of the transport elevator before it rocketed down at a blinding speed.

Both Édouard and Samuel shared the same queasy expression as they felt their stomachs rise to the back of their throats. Then without warning they felt the heaviness of gravity, as the room slowed down at an astounding rate. Moments later the elevator took off in a lateral motion, zigging and zagging before finally coming to a complete stop. The numbers "515" began to glow above the double doors before they opened with a loud hiss.

"Vault 515 upon request" Garnak the goblin said as he handed the key back to Samuel. "Place this key into the keyhole on the metal box in the wall of the vault. That will summon another mobile box car that will bring you to the surface.

Édouard and Samuel walked into the vault as the doors behind them closed. The vault was an enormous cave with dangling stone stalactites. Samuel whistled and the high shrill sound seemed to carry in an ever repeating echo.

"Whelp, there it is," Samuel said as he pointed to a large red beat up shipping container in the center of the vault. The large metal walls were beat up and dented far beyond the normal wear of use.

"This might be bad," Édouard thought.

Samuel walked up to the battered container and knocked three times on the door that rested askew against the frame. Édouard stood behind with his hand in close proximity of his wand.

There were footsteps on the other side of the large metal door before a squeaky hinged latch slid open and the door creaked ajar.

A wizard poked his head from around the door. He was an eight foot brute with a face like a caveman and a long thick unibrow. He wore black robes and a large blue and gold ring on his right hand, "Who is it?"

"Wizards Samuel and Édouard, we have business with the Venetian," Samuel explained before handing over the long slender golden key with the numbers 515 inscribed into it.

The tall wizard looked down and eyed the two newcomers wearily. Swinging open the large door, Édouard and Samuel were hit with the sour smell of wet dog.

"Enter," The tall wizard ordered.

They walked into the red shipping container whose interior was an impressive Italian Villa. The walls were painted with beautiful Roman frescos of magical creatures, legendary items and famous wizards. Spidery cracks ran throughout the entire house like shattered glass. Their feet sloshed in the water with every step they took. Every rug was soaked and water damage left streak marks all throughout the frescos.

"What happened here?" Samuel asked but the wizard leading them through the villa only gave a snort of discontent.

House elves worked tirelessly throughout entire villa, cleaning, painting and scrubbing the floors. They fixed cracks in the walls, all the while giving Édouard the dirtiest of looks. Like the tall wizard that lead them through the villa, they also wore a small blue stone ring on their hands.

The wizards walked through an atrium with shattered blue and white tiling. The impluvium or pool in the center of the atrium was overflowing with dirty water which poured over the sides. In the center of the pool was a large stone statue of a gryphon.

"Samuel?" Édouard said nervously.

"What?"

"I have something to tell you?"

"Can it wait?" Samuel asked impatiently.

"I don't think it should," Édouard said with a nervous laugh. "All this here, is kind of my fault."

Samuel turned around and gave Édouard the most alarming look. "What do you mean this is 'kind of' your fault?"

"Well you see…" but before he could finish, the tall wizard opened a door to a room and a man sitting behind a desk called them in.

Chapter 11

Getting Access

Christiane Partée followed Vert into the Imperial Goblin Bank of Paris. She was flanked on either side by her fellow Aurors, Francois Rutan and Marie Goulet. Not only did the Aurors work in the same department as Christiane but they were also fellow alums of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Dressed in their full Aurors uniforms, they drew the attention of all the occupants in the bank.

"They must be in here somewhere!" Vert shouted excitedly. His rather large head looked this way and that while the ears under his bowler cap flopped around.

An older goblin with white hair greeted the Aurors as he walked over at a hurried pace. "I am Anghook, Chief Banker of the Imperial Goblin Bank of Paris. How may I be of service to the ministry on this day?"

Upon seeing the goblin, Vert became nervous and took a step behind Christiane's robes.

Christiane took a step forward along with the two Aurors by her side. They were in perfect sync. "We have information that one of our Aurors might be in danger."

"An Auror in danger in our establishment?" Anghook said in disbelief as he cocked his head to one side. "I did not even know that there was an Auror in our bank."

"He might be in plain clothes," Christiane explained. "He is a tall wizard with blonde hair and blue green eyes."

"Ah yes, I do believe a wizard of that description was in here rather recently," Anghook said, "Although I do not recall which vault they were headed to."

At the other end of the bank, two large metal doors opened and Garnak the goblin walked out. Upon seeing Garnak, Anghook waved him over with his long slender fingers.

Garnak approached the group in the lobby and gave them a polite nod. "How may I be of service monsieur?"

"It seems that the two men you led down to the vaults were Aurors. The ministry is under the conviction that these Aurors might also be in some form of trouble. Would you be so kind as to tell me which vault they were headed?"

Christiane tilted her head back to Vert. "Was Édouard with an Auror?" To which Vert shook his head no. "It was only one Auror monsieur Anghook."

"My mistake, one Auror Garnak. Where did you take them?"

The look on Garnak's face changed from curious to worried as his beady black eyes darted from the Aurors back to his superior. "Um, well…" Unable to find the words that he was looking for, Garnak walked over to Anghook and whispered something into his ear which also caused the expression of Anghook's face to change.

"What's going on?" Christiane said suspiciously.

Anghook's voice became cautious and softened as he explained, "Well you see Madam, the vault that this Auror was directed to is one of our older… more private vaults. Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate your desire to visit this vault without proper written approval from the ministry."

"What do you mean?!" Christiane said.

"We need a signed document from the minister in order to let you into that vault," Anghook replied. He knew that they would not like his response. "The rules set in place for our older vaults have been in practice for centuries. It not only protects our bank but it is also intended to protect our clients' valuables as well."

"We are Aurors with the ministry! Lives could be in danger! Do you want to be responsible for the potential deaths of a ministry agent?"

Christiane's sudden anger got the attention of the other goblins inside the bank.

"Again, I am deeply sorry Madam…" He hesitated, not knowing the Auror's name.

"Partée, Christiane Partée."

"Well Madam Partée, if you get us our documentation we will get you to that vault immediately," Anghook explained before turning to Garnak. "Please retrieve a key to the vault of inquiry so that there is no delay when the proper documentation arrives."

Garnak nodded his head in compliance and quickly scuttled off into a back room where he disappeared from sight.

Christiane watched the goblin disappear before turning to vert. "Can you go back to the ministry and tell my father what has transpired here. Make sure that he gets the proper documentation from the Minister. We are going to stay here just in case Édouard needs any help."

"Right away Madam!" Vert said with a sharp salute but when he snapped his fingers to disapparate, nothing happened. Vert looked at his hands in confusion and for a second time he snapped his fingers but for a second time, nothing happened.

"It's a ward," Anghook explained. "There is no permissible apparitions of any creatures inside of the Imperial bank. It is a safety protocol against theft."

"Well then how far away does he have to be?" Christiane fired back in annoyance. She was worried for her husband and this whole protocol nonsense made her very suspicious of whatever was located in this vault that they refused to even name.

"Just outside the doors Madam."

Vert turned around and sprinted for the doors nearly bowling over an entering goblin that was carrying an armful of scrolls. Outside the bank, the elf raised both hands and gave his fingers a sharp "snap!" which caused a heap of sparks and in the same instant the small house-elf was gone.

Christiane was relieved to see the house-elf vanish but was still worried. Nervously, she began to rub the base of the wedding band while silently wondering, "What did you get yourself into this time Édouard?"

Chapter 12

The Venetian

"Salve," the Venetian greeted as he stood from behind his desk. He was wearing an expensive midnight three piece suit with the most intense red and gold tie that was tied into a complex Merovingian knot. His hair was jet black and slicked back while his face was shaved impeccably clean. His features were sharp and angular with an olive skin tone. It looked as if a single hair was to fall out of place, his entire appearance would be shattered. After greeting the two wizards, he once again took a seat at his desk where he returned to working on his meal of rare steak.

The office room that Samuel and Édouard entered was just as nice as the rest of the villa with decorative fresco walls of red and gold. The shattered remains of a large vase filled one corner of the room while a dissembled suit of armor sat in a pile in the opposite corner.

The tall wizard, who had let them in, stood at the door while two more wizards stood on flanking sides of the Venetian while he ate his food. Neither wizard smiled but stood at complete attention. The wizard to the left was a bald man who wore a plain grey dress coat and pants with a white button down. The wizard on the right had a more eccentric style. He had long frazzled brown hair with a leather brown duster. The sleeves of the duster were cut off and his dark green and blue stripped long sleeves were exposed. He wore fingerless gloves and large brown heavy boots. He playfully twirled a spoon in his hands, as he watched the Édouard and Samuel with complete focus. Both wizards wore a blue ring on their right hand.

Upon seeing Édouard, the wizard in the brown duster leaned forward and whispered something into the ear of the Venetian before quickly returning to his post. The Venetian nodded in recognition before turning back to his guests.

"Welcome to my domus, I am Baldassarre Ignacio Umberto della Qiunto Spada della Diadochi," He explained in a heavy Italian accent. "Long families create long names, so I am simply the Venetian. I presume you are Samuel Redd and Édouard Partée? Excuse me for the condition of my home, we had a slight problem yesterday but I think for a thirty foot fall and then being trapped at the bottom of a harbor for a few hours, we are doing quite well."

Édouard nervously looked away at the mention of their previous encounter as if eye contact would give away his responsibility.

The Venetian looked at the two wizards with a firm expression and ever so slightly his right eye winced before he went back to cutting his steak. "So Samuel, I am glad you were able to return to me in one piece. You were in England I think?"

"Yes," Samuel answered as he reached into his letterman's bag. Samuel let out a small grunt before removing a very large and very old leather bound book. Golden Latin letters were inscribed on its' cover for which Édouard did not know what they meant. The book had a musty smell to it as if it had been in storage for a very long time.

Upon seeing the tome, the Venetian's brown and green eyes glinted with excitement. He quickly made space for the large tome by sliding his food to the side along with a few items on his desk.

Samuel placed the tome on the desk and sat back in his seat.

The Venetian stood to his feet and gingerly ran his fingers over the worn golden print. The large round lapis lazuli ring on his left hand shone with the most intense cobalt blue and gold as it moved over the book.

"Benedict Arnold's First Edition of Rare Magical Items" The Venetian said almost lovingly. "In this book is a compiled list of items by one of the most legendary collectors of all time, General Benedict Arnold. He is known by the muggles as a man who fought on both sides during the American Revolution but in the magical world of collecting, he is quite legendary. He started off in the trade business, shipping new world owls to the magical communities of Europe. This business made him extremely wealthy while simultaneously gaining him access to magical communities all around the world. Through the East India Trading company, he placed wizards on nearly every continent with strict orders to purchase anything with even the slightest chance of magical significance," Leaning in The Venetian smelt the book, taking in the musty smell. His eyes rolled back in pure ecstasy yet his facial expression still remained relatively neutral. "Although most of the things they brought back were useless, every so often he would get something truly magnifico."

"Apologies" Édouard interrupted, "I have a hunch that you might want us to go on a treasure hunt but I was under the impression that you were going to help us with Azkaban?"

"You will have to do one in order to get the other," The Venetian said with a slight grin. "As you are both aware, Azkaban is one of the most highly magically protected locations on the planet. It is an island fortress surrounded by ocean. If anyone goes in or out of that place, the ministry can track them immediatamente. They know where incoming wizards came from and where outgoing wizards went, which is a problem if you are trying to escape undetected. What you guys need is an undetectable way of escape and that is what this book has provided."

The Venetian found a page with a maniacally laughing portrait of an evil wizard and a golden plaque underneath with the name "Ekrizdis."

"Ekrizdis?" Samuel asked.

"Si" The Venetian answered. "He is the builder of Azkaban back before it was used as a jail. What Benedict Arnold had purchased was an original portrait of the evil wizard from the island fortress. What that means, is that the island will recognize this painting as a part of it."

"It won't be tracked," Édouard realized.

"Magnifico" The Venetian said with the slightest shutter. "You turn this portrait into a port key and you can go anywhere you want. Although I recommend you be wise about where you want to go because a breakout will not go unnoticed for long."

"So where do we get this portrait?" Édouard asked.

"That my friend might not be so easy you think," The Venetian explained as he flipped to the front of the book. "Benedicto hid his treasures in an unknown vault. No one knows where this vault is. Like the Hallows, many have searched their entire lives and found nothing. What we do know is that there are three tests one must pass in order to get to this vault."

Flipping the page, The Venetian showed them a sketched drawing of a small stone pillar with a metal bell covering on top. The sketch was crafted with such detail that it looked like an old rustic photograph. Written across the top of the page was the Latin word "Amans."

"The lover" The Venetian translated.

On the second page there was another detailed intricate sketch that showed a long tabletop like platform, at the end of the platform stood a wizard in a doorway. "Sapiens" was boldly written in a very gothic style print.

"The wise man," The Venetian said as his finger scrolled across the word.

The sketch on the third page was a little more cryptic as it depicted a hand resting on a brilliantly colored crystal ball used for divination. The hand on the orb was strained and gnarled as the muscles flexed and veins bulged. The word "Pugnantis" was written above the sketch in a similar manner to the previous pages.

"And last but not least, the fighter," The Venetian said with a subtle curiosity in his voice. "These three make up the challenges necessary to get into the vault. If you get past these tests, I am almost curtain that the painting you seek will be in that vault along with an array of priceless artifacts."

"Why am I sensing there is something in this vault that you also desire?" Édouard asked suspiciously.

"You are correct in that assessment Mr. Partée," The Venetian answered. "There are in fact three things I want from this vault, an iron triangular box, a gold bracer and a broken Time-Turner."

The Venetian turned to the various pages of the book, knowing exactly what he was looking for. The triangular iron box was no larger than a human hand but inscribed on the cover was a medieval priest wearing a necklace. On the necklace was a large pendant and from that pendant were rays of light shining down. The gold bracer was an armored cuff for the wrist. Inscribed on this artifact was the legendary Hercules with his club as he faced off against a lion. The third object was a Time-Turner but the hourglass in the center was cracked. The words "thirty minutes" were inscribed on the bottom in English.

Samuel studied the three images closely. "Do you think these will be hard to find?"

The Venetian winced as he thought about it, "I am not sure, I do not know how big this vault is but an Accio charm might do the trick.

Édouard looked up from the book with an inquisitive expression. "I understand wanting an unregistered Time-Turner but why the other two?"

"As a collector, they are objects I want. If you retrieve them for me, I will further support your endeavor to free your brother and his wife from Azkaban."

"So, you don't want to tell us. Are you afraid we might keep them for ourselves?"

"Honestly, I am afraid that if I told you what you were stealing for me, you might not even go."

Just then the door to the office burst open as one of the Venetian's house elves ran inside the office terrified and out of breath. "A thousand apologies Padrone, Aurors just came through the lift!"

The Venetians eyes became enraged with fury which was a dramatic shift from his relatively even expression throughout the meeting. He stood up from his desk and went to grab for the steak knife before quickly reaching in his back pocket and pulling out a wand. The bald bodyguard pulled out a long brown ash wand while the bodyguard with the sleeveless jacket pointed his spoon at the men.

"You look to betray me!" The Venetian's voice boomed.

"NO!" Samuel pleaded. "I had no idea that Aurors were coming."

"You!" The Venetian said, moving his wand over to Édouard. All three bodyguards did the same thing. "I know you work for the ministry. Was this some kind of trappola!"

Édouard raised his hands in surrender. "I had no idea that Aurors would be here. The ministry has no idea that I am with you. If they find I'm working with you, do you know what they would do to me?"

"I could kill you now! I am from one of the oldest most powerful wizarding families of all time!" The Venetian's eyes darted from the door back to Édouard, not sure when the Aurors would show up.

"Venetian, look at me! Look at me!" Samuel said, "You know how much I want to get my wife out of Azkaban. Why would I do anything to compromise that? I brought you the book. You don't have to trust him but trust me. We had no idea they were coming."

"We will see where your loyalty lies," the Venetian said before grabbing the book on the table and pressing the blue ring on his hand. There was a sudden whirling and in an instant he vanished out of thin air. The bodyguards and the house-elf all pressed their own rings and quickly disappeared from the room.

"Oh great!" Samuel yelled in frustration once they were alone "They were all wearing port keys."

Édouard looked to the door to see if the Aurors were in the villa yet. "Let's get out of here. We can talk about this later."

The two wizards grabbed their wands and stood from their chairs.

"Meet me in the Louvre by the pyramid in thirty," Samuel said.

Édouard nodded his head. They both waved their wands' to disapparate but nothing happened.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Samuel cried.

Édouard tried to disapparate two more times but nothing happened.

"The entire bank is protected by wards against apparating!" Samuel yelled as he began to walk in a nervous circle. "We are stuck here in the house of an illegal smuggler with Aurors at the door. Well the good news is that I'll get to see my wife and you will get to see your brother. The bad news is that it depends if we get cells next to theirs!"

"Calm down. I need a second to think," Édouard said as he looked around the room but Samuel continued to rant. His mind frantically searched for ideas. Looking outside of the office and into the atrium, he saw that the large pool that was still over flowing with water. His memory went back to the dock from the day before, where the torrents of flame hit the column of water.

"I have a plan," Édouard said as he gripped his wand tightly in his hand.

Chapter 13

The Villa

The Aurors moved in a perfect diamond formation as they headed towards the beat up red shipping container. Their heads were on a swivel as they kept their wands pointed in every direction.

"Check for jinxes, hexes and curses," Javert's voice ordered as he walked in the center of the diamond next to Anghook, the chief goblin banker. "We can ill afford to walk into a trap."

"None detected so far," Marie Goulet answered as she pointed her wand into the air.

Christiane was at the head of the diamond with her wand pointed forward. Her father suggested that she take rear guard but after claiming it was her investigation, she insisted that she take point.

They covered the large vast empty space of the vault in a very short amount of time.

"We are at the door," Christiane whispered back to the other Aurors. "Ready to breach on command."

Javert held his hand up as the rest of the diamond formation shuffled into two columns with lightening efficiency. Upon seeing that everyone was ready, Javert's hand fell back to his side.

Christiane acknowledged the gesture before taking a step back from the door and pointing her wand at it. "Reducto!" she casted.

The large red door that sat crooked on its' frame was blown off its' hinges with a powerful bang. A thick column of hot steam billowed from the entrance of the container like the smokestack of a locomotive, stopping the Aurors from entering. They held up their hands to their faces to protect themselves from the instant intense heat that radiated out. It was like an unexpected blast from a hot sauna.

"Duratus!" Christiane said as she waved her wand in a circular motion before cracking her wand like a whip. A blue blast of light whizzed out of her wand and hit the warm air causing an even bigger blue flash. All the Aurors raised their hands to shield their eyes but when they looked back, to their amazement, the steam had turned into snow.

"Excellent work," Javert said. "I want both columns in that container. Check your corners, check for spells before you enter a room. There could be booby traps in there!"

The black robed Aurors had practiced the art of storming potentially dangerous places numerous times. This practice gave them a blinding efficiency as they walked throughout the snowy villa, looking for dark wizards. The words "clear" emanated from each room as they looked for any signs of danger. It only took five minutes for the group of twelve to check out the entire villa.

Javert walked into the atrium where his daughter stood kneeling over an empty pool. Vert was with her checking out the evidence that she was pointing to.

"What do you think?" Javert asked.

"I don't know where he is," Christiane answered. "Anghook said this was the vault that he was taken to. Do you think he could have been taken hostage?"

"Possibly, I'll put out an official alert throughout the ministry."

"Thank you," Christiane said, turning to her father. She knew that he was difficult and stubborn to deal with but many times it was out of love. He wanted to protect her and that paternal sense was constantly influencing his decisions.

"I would do it for any one of my Aurors," He said. "Do you think this was one of the containers from the Thyrus yesterday?"

"It looks like it. It's pretty beat up though. I would imagine it must have been one of the containers that was thrashed by the dragon." Christiane said.

"Why did we miss it in our search yesterday?" Javert asked.

Christiane pointed her wand at the cracked frescoed wall. Her wand traced a waist high dark line that seemed to run along all the walls in the room. "That is a water mark. I would bet anything that this container wasn't searched because it was at the bottom of the harbor. I was nearly crushed by one of these containers when we dropped them on the dragons head. A few even rolled into the water. I bet they had a really tough time trying to prevent this place from completely flooding."

Christiane looked down at Vert who was sticking out his tongue and trying to catch one of the large white fluffy snowflakes as it fell from the air. She placed a hand on top of his bowler cap and gave it a friendly rub. Vert tipped the front of the hat back and looked up at Christiane with his big green eyes.

Javert walked over to the pool and rubbed his hand along the snowy black soot. Pulling up his hand, there was dark ash covering his palm, "So why all the steam?"

"Diversion tactic to get away? Or maybe a play for more time?" Christiane said, unsure if her conclusion made sense. "They couldn't of disapparated from here."

Javert turned to Anghook who was now accompanied by a few of the goblins, including Garnak. "Now that I brought you the proper papers, can you tell me who owns this vault?"

Anghook took a step forward from his group. "Yes monsieur. The account that belongs to this vault is under the ownership of Baldassarr Ignacio Umberto."

"The Venetian," Javert hissed. "He keeps showing up in our country of late."

"Garnak," Christiane called.

"Yes, Madam."

"Was this the vault that you lead Édouard to?"

"Yes, Madam."

"This exact vault."

"Yes, not more than ten seconds before you walked into the lobby."

Christiane turned to her father who was studying the empty pool of water and the large imposing gryphon statue in the middle. Scorch marks licked up the lower portion of the dark stone legs of the gryphon. "Based on Garnak's timeline, they were down here for no more than fifteen minutes before we entered the vault."

"Anghook," Javert asked.

"Wi." The goblin answered.

"What other means could a wizard leave their vault if this place is protected by wards?" Javert said.

Anghook raised two long slender fingers, "There are only two ways, through the lift that we came through and a port key that was already placed into the vault by the owner. Any port key that is not registered with us and brought through the front door will be instantly deactivated by our wards."

"When did this container arrive in this vault?"

The goblin standing next to Anghook leaned over and whispered into his ear. Anghook gave a slight nod, "Three this morning."

"Was the Venetian there?" Christiane asked.

"Yes," Anghook said.

Javert took a step forward, forcing the goblin to look straight up in order to maintain eye contact, "You know it is illegal in France to deal with smugglers."

"Seeing as the Venetian has never been officially convicted of smuggling in France by our Wizengamot, there is no reason why we cannot do business with him. Innocent until proven guilty, Auror Javert," Anghook said in a confident tone. His black beady eyes met Javert's and they engaged in a long stare.

"Javert, sir," Auror Francois Rutan said.

"Yes?" he responded, turning away from the goblin.

Christiane, Javert and Vert all walked into the office of the Venetian. There was a light layer of snow covering much of the room.

"What is it?" Javert asked.

Francois walked over to the table and dusted off the snow that powdered a half eaten meal. "We must have just missed them. This meal is still warm."

"Great work Francois," Javert said.

There was a small clatter of metal objects as Vert peered into the metal helmet of the suit of armor in the corner of the room.

"Vert, that is evidence. Abstain from touching it," Javert ordered. "Come here."

Vert quickly dropped the helmet into the pile of armor and walked over to the head Auror.

Vert took off his hat and looked up, clearly intimidated by Javert. His ears were tucked back and he ran his fingers over his bowler cap nervously. "Yes, monsieur."

"This is the second day that you have produced absolutely stunning work. How would you like to become and an official Auror for the ministry?"

Vert's ears shot up as he jumped up and down with excitement. "Do you really mean it Javert, sir, Auror, maitre!"

Javert put his hand up as if to slow down the excited house-elf. "Easy there Vert. You have no master, remember? But clearly you have what it takes to be a part of this ministry. Now this is a very big responsibility. I talked to the minister and he is extremely pleased with your work of late. He also believes that you will improve his standings with the magical creature community. You can bridge the gap between our people. You will be the first magical creature to become an Auror in the history of the ministry."

Vert grabbed Javert's hand and began to kiss it as tears of joy began to run down his face.

"Easy there my friend," Javert said as he pulled away his hand and knelt down. Even on one knee, Javert was still taller than Vert, "what you need to remember is that Aurors are servants of the magical world. When you say the Aurors' creed, remember our motto, 'service, sacrifice, and humility' for those are the things we must practice most."

Looking over to his daughter, Javert saw that her mind was working out the series of events. She pointed to various places in the villa as she recreated what took place. In her opposite hand, her thumb continued to rub her wedding band.

"What do you think?" Javert asked her.

"It's confusing."

"What?"

"Nothing. I'll get back to you when I have something solid," She answered.

Christiane shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and put on a bright smile. A strange calm had come over her instead of the worried look she had donned for the previous hour.

Walking over to Vert, she knelt down and gave the house-elf a long warm embrace. "I am so proud of you."

"Thank you," His high pitched voice squeaked.

She could feel the warm tears of the elf against her cheek as she held him tight. "Édouard will be so proud of you when he finds out that you have become an Auror."

Chapter 14

A High Cost

Édouard and Samuel sat with their backs resting against the walls of a metal cave, about the size of a bedroom. On the ceiling were long ridge like openings where light streamed in. The room was empty and completely encased in grey metal except for the large circular opening at one end. At one point, while the two wizards were trying to hideout, an enormous giant had peered into the metal cavern with its' massive green eye. Samuel was almost curtain that their hiding space inside the armored helmet had been exposed but when nothing else happened, he let loose a sigh of relief.

"I think they're gone," Édouard whispered. Every movement seeming to ring as his voice echoed in the metal room.

"If this works, I'll buy you a butter beer," Samuel praised. "What was that fire spell you used?"

Édouard leaned over and pulled out Lestat's wand. He examined it again, "Corpus Infernus. Lestat made it up in our sixth year at Pursang. He used it one time to prevent himself from being swallowed by a giant."

"Swallowed by a giant?" Samuel said in surprise.

"Yeah. What it does, is wrap the entire body in pyromancer's flame. It generates intense amounts of heat, which allowed me to vaporize the pool almost instantly. The only problem is that if you are not careful, you can end up cooking yourself. Lestat never really perfected it but it was good in a pinch."

"And the shrinking spell?"

"A simple enchantment I stumbled upon in transfiguration class. We were trying to turn owls into snitches. Lestat had been distracting me the entire class by placing his wand in my ear. This along with the fact that I couldn't get my spell to work caused me to turn to Lestat and cast the exact same spell on him. Instantly he shrunk to the size of a snitch."

"Wow."

"My classmates loved it but the professor wasn't too impressed, it landed me a week's worth of detention."

"Do you know the counter jinx?" Samuel asked with sudden worry in his voice.

Édouard laughed at Samuel's apprehension. "Yes, I have since learned the counter jinx."

"Hey, Édouard."

"Wi?"

"Why did you decide to join me? I mean you could have easily said no and probably turned me in to the ministry."

"Family, Love and Honor."

"Values?"

"Partée family motto."

"I see," Samuel said. He pulled out his wand and began to twirl it between his fingers.

"My brother would do anything for me," Édouard explained. "He was my best friend, he always had my back and I have to admit that I abandoned him. What you said in the Galleon really struck a chord with me. If there is the slightest chance that he might be innocent, why not try and see?"

There was a sudden rumbling feel as the metal helmet they had taken shelter in began to vibrate.

"What's going on?" Samuel asked, a look of concern growing on his face.

Édouard looked around the room. "The ministry is probably confiscating the shipping container for evidence. We should be at the ministry in no time, which means once we are out of the bank, we should be able to apparate from this helmet."

"I'll be happy once we are out of this place. I don't do so well in tight spaces," Samuel confessed as his eyes darted around the metal helmet.

Édouard studied Samuel closely. "Let me ask you something."

"Shoot," Samuel said with a shrug.

"You broke into the Ministry of Magic no problem. Stared one of the greatest wizards of our time in the face and didn't break a sweat."

"Yes?"

"Well, once the Venetian disappeared and the Aurors were coming, I hate to say it but you kind of panicked. I thought a wizard who had accomplished the things you have, might have been…" Édouard paused as he searched for the right words that wouldn't come off as offensive.

"Calmer under pressure?"

"Wi"

"You are right Édouard. I don't do well on the fly."

"On the fly?" Édouard asked, not really understanding his English colloquialism.

"Coming up with things in the moment."

"Oh! I understand."

"I spent three months planning my break in to the Ministry. I meticulously planned every single move, every possible encounter and every single way of escape. Mara said I was obsessive in that way but it allows me to focus on the next step of the plan rather than panic."

"And what about this vault that the Venetian described? Do you have any idea of these challenges we will face?"

"The lover, the wise man and the fighter" Samuel sighed as he rested his head back against the metal sloping wall. His words echoed in the large metal helmet. "I have no idea what those tasks will be and I'll be honest, I am terrified by the fact that I can't plan ahead. I was nervous meeting you."

"Nervous meeting me? You didn't seem nervous?"

"People are unpredictable."

"Well, I must admit, I wasn't entirely too easy meeting you either. I am an Auror with the ministry. Colluding with someone trying to plan a prison break isn't the company I should be keeping."

Édouard held up a finger as he recounted each impending challenge. "The lover was a column with a bell cover on top. The wise man was a wizard on a platform and the fighter was a hand pressed on a divination ball."

Samuel continued to twirl his wand, "The fighter is what worries me the most Édouard. That hand looked like it was in a fair amount of pain."

"What are you thinking?" Édouard asked.

"Maybe we should add another wizard to our party?" Samuel said.

"Do you think that is wise, given the nature of our task?" Edouard asked.

"What if we found someone who was sympathetic to our cause or maybe someone we could pay off?"

"A mercenary?"

"Maybe," Samuel shrugged. "Either way, it would seem best if we add more to our group. I know I can heal pretty well and you seem pretty able with a wand but maybe we need someone older and wiser. Someone who could analyze the vault's tasks and give us insight on how to get past each security challenge."

Édouard closed his eyes and folded his arms as his head rolled forward. "As long as they are able to keep a secret, I believe that will be an excellent plan. Hey Samuel?"

"Yes?"

"Can you wake me up when we stop moving?" Édouard asked. "Expending so much magical energy was exhausting."

"Sure," Samuel answered.

The slow vibrations of the helmet slowly rocked Édouard to sleep as he closed his eyes and curled up for warmth. His mind slowly drifted back to a day that he would never forget.

_Twelve Years Prior_

Édouard ducked under a series of pine branches as his feet trudged through the calf high snow. Plumes of warm breath billowed from his mouth as he struggled to breathe in the high altitude of the French Alps. Édouard held his bright red trembling hands to his mouth and let out a breath of hot air in an attempt to warm up his frozen fingers. There was no moon that night and so the stars were in full bloom. The Milky Way Galaxy stretched across the sky from end to end like a sparkling road of stars.

"Why are we doing this again?" Édouard asked.

"Because Brother," Lestat wheezed between breathes, "Lilyhammer said it was either find out what happened to the school unicorn or work the kitchens for a week as punishment for our detention." Lestat held his glowing wand high above his head, lighting up endless miles of white snowy mountainside.

"Your detention, don't forget, I had nothing to do with that jinx you set on Babineaux," Édouard said. "Why did I decide to come with you in the first place?"

Lestat looked back at his brother, "Well, I asked you if you wanted to go for a walk. It's not my fault you never asked where."

"I figured it would be around the school grounds and back. I didn't know we were going to have to climb half way up a mountain! And when we did start to leave the school grounds, you kept telling me, just a little bit farther! Just a bit farther Édouard. Trust me, I'm your brother."

"Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Frozen!" Édouard yelled.

"Shhhh" Lestat said as he beckoned for his brother to come over. He lowered his lit wand to a large set of fresh footprints in the snow that were the size of sewer lids. Silver droplets of liquid accompanied the large tracks that continued higher up the mountain.

"What do you think made those?" Édouard asked nervously.

"Mountain troll or maybe a giant?"

"Great…" Édouard muttered as he looked down the mountain side towards the small twinkling dot that was there school. "Well, I think it's safe to say we know what happened to that unicorn then."

"You know that isn't good enough. Lilyhammer will have my head if I don't come back with some solid evidence."

"Does he want you to come back with its horn?"

Lestat turned to his brother. "If you want to go back, then I won't stop you but there is no way I am going back to clean pots and pans with house-elves for a week."

"Fine, but promise me that we only follow the tracks for a little bit longer before we head back."

"Deal," Lestat said.

They continued to follow the tracks higher up the mountain. The sparse pines quickly gave way to barren mountaintops of snow. For every three steps they took forward, the brothers slid back one. Their hands and face were red and burning.

Édouard tried to keep his hands in his pockets but every time he began to slide down the mountain, he was forced to bury his hands into the freezing snow for anchoring. The wind was blindingly cold and the constant slow breeze seemed to cut through their clothing, making it feel as if they were naked.

"Look" Lestat said as he pointed towards a distant glow in the mountain side.

"A cave?" Édouard asked.

"I think."

"Should we get a professor?"

"Good idea," Lestat answered.

Édouard pulled his wand from his cloak and held it into the air. With a wave of his wand, he casted his Patronus which was a blue spectral phoenix, "Tell professor Lilyhammer we have found a cave and we think it might hold the location of the unicorn."

The glowing Patronus opened its' wide wingspan before taking to the air, and racing down the mountain. The blue glow dimmed as the Patronus got farther away.

Turning to Lestat, Édouard noticed a mischievous grin on his face. "What are you thinking?"

"Maybe we should go in for a peek?" Lestat said.

Édouard sighed and shook his head, "Hopefully it's warmer in there than it is out here. You know, I think you bring it out of me."

"What?"

"This desire to get in trouble. Any sane wizard would turn back right now."

Lestat took a few steps down the side of the mountain to join his brother. Placing an arm over his shoulder, Lestat felt Édouard shivering body under his cloak. "We are twins Édouard, I know how you feel. It is not a desire to get into trouble. It is a desire to explore, to be great." Lestat pointed to his brother's heart, "We are Partée. It is in our very bones to seek out greatness, ever since the very first Partée twins Castor and Pollex."

Édouard laughed, "You know what they say about our family and their history of twins."

"One good and one bad," Lestat answered. "I am clearly the good twin."

"Oh really?"

"Yes" Lestat said with an air of cockiness. "I had more outstanding marks on my O.W.L.s"

"By one class!" Édouard said defensively. "And that's because the potion master hated me and loved you."

"Either way, I am clearly the better."

Édouard grabbed his brother and placed him in a playful headlock. Losing his balance, Édouard slipped on the steep gradient of the mountain and fell on his back. Lestat grabbed his brother's hand before he fell down the mountain. Looking below Édouard, he watched as the snow below his feet cracked in house sized slabs.

"Be careful," Lestat warned. "An avalanche would be the last thing we would want."

They carefully made their way up the mountain towards the glowing cave entrance in the distant. As they got closer, the small glowing entrance grew bigger and bigger until they were dwarfed by the massive hole in the side of the mountain. A foul smell seemed to emanate from the entrance, along with the echoed grumblings of something large inside.

"Giant" Édouard whispered.

Lestat shook his head in acknowledgement before ending the Lumos charm on his wand and pointing it ahead.

As they quietly walked forward, the loud incoherent grumblings of the giant became louder and louder. It sounded like deep bellows and harsh grunts to their ears. The clatter of large objects echoed down the long tunnel. Stalactites hung down like towering stone spears as scattered white bones lined the path deeper into the cave. They felt slight trembles in the ground that were caused by the creature's heavy steps.

Rounding a sharp bend, the young wizards were finally able to lay eyes upon the Giant's layer. The cavernous chamber was lit by a large fire in the corner of the room. A large black cauldron hung over the fire with its contents bubbling inside. The floor was covered in brown pine straw and in another corner of the room was a large eight foot table where the slain unicorn lay. Silver blood dripped off the edge of the table in large silvery drops.

"Do you see a giant brother?" Édouard asked just barely above a whisper, as his blue green eyes scanned the giant's layer.

Lestat shook his head "no." They stood perfectly still, until the sound of a heavy snort came from high above their heads. Looking back, they saw the enormous head of a giant slowly lean out of the shadows of the cave. The eyes of the giant were slightly grayed with the early onset of cataracts as his big bulbous nose continued to sniff the air.

"Move" Lestat whispered just before an enormous leathery hand swept down to grab the wizards.

Lestat and Édouard dove out of the way as the enormous giant burst from the shadow, letting out a deep bellowing roar. The giant stood at twenty five feet tall with thick leathery skin, and protruding ugly features. The right ear of the giant was missing and in its place was a small round hole that oozed a yellow viscous wax.

"Stupify!" Édouard casted with his wand as a red burst of light hit the giant in the face.

The giant took a stumbled backwards but quickly shook off the spell. Bending down, the giant grabbed a massive gnarled wooden club made from the trunk of a pine tree. The bus sized creature swung the club with such force that when it hit the ground, it caused a few stalactites to fall from the ceiling and shatter on the cave floor.

Lestat moved out of the way of the massive incoming club before raising his wand and casting a series of ropes that wrapped up the giants arms. The giant roared and snapped the ropes like string.

"Édouard!" Lestat said as he ducked out of the way of another incoming blow.

Édouard looked on in horror as the giant rose its' massive foot in an attempt to crush Lestat below. "Periculum!" Édouard shouted, sending red fiery sparks into the face of the giant. The giant howled in pain as it frantically rubbed at its eyes. The massive creature crashed backwards into the cave wall and the ground shook. The wall made a terrible cracking sound as a few more stone stalactites were set free and plummeted to the ground below.

The giant became enraged as its dull whitened eyes tried to focus on Édouard. The slimy clear ooze of drool gushed from its enormous mouth. The giant leaned down and grabbed two large shards of stone from one of the shattered stalactites and began to hurl them at the two wizards.

Édouard raised a shield charm just in time to stop a massive boulder from crushing him. The broken stalactite hit his shield and knocked him back against the cave wall. Édouard's head was filled with blinding pain as his ears began to ring. He couldn't focus or find his balance. Looking up in a daze, he watched as the giant lunged towards Lestat.

The giant grabbed Lestat with its' massive hand and picked him up over its head. Lestat casted another spell into the giant's face but the giant shook off the spell with ease before leaning its head back and opening his large gaping mouth.

Lestat looked down in terror at the slimy maroon pit of broken teeth as a large muscular tongue wiggled like a massive red snake, beckoning for its next meal. The odor coming from the giant's mouth was an unbearable blend of garbage and rotting meat.

"Corpus Infernus!" Lestat yelled as he disappeared into the giant's mouth.

"No!" Édouard screamed in terror as he watched his brother's body disappear. Édouard stood to his feet and swayed slightly before composing himself and raising his wand.

The giant lowered its head as its cheeks had swollen to twice their size. The giant spit out Lestat's fiery body and he landed hard against one of the stone boulders on the floor with a bone shattering crunch. His body collapsed broken against the cold stone floor like a rag doll, the flames around his body slowly dwindling.

A powerful rage filled Édouard as he looked at his brother's battered body on the ground. He turned to the giant with a bright blaze in his eyes. The green that had once accented the blue in his eyes had a luminous glow. He could feel a power grow deep inside of him like a torrent of fire in his soul. He raised his wand, the muscles and tendons flexing around the black cherry wand.

"Hey!" Édouard yelled, getting the giants attention. The massive head of the giant turned towards Édouard as its mouth continued to steam. The giant opened its charred mouth and let out a deep angry growl.

"You hurt my brother!" Édouard yelled, as he pointed his wand towards the large black bubbling cauldron.

The giant stamped its massive foot against the ground causing more rock to plummet from the ceiling. The giant charged the sixth year wizard at full pace.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Édouard casted towards the large black bubbling cauldron. The spell set the cauldron free from the hook that it dangled from. Édouard whipped his wand at the giant, causing the cauldron to fly across the room like a colossal cannon ball. The cauldron hit the giant in the chest and caused the hot stew to splash all over the giant's body. The creature let out painful cries as it fell onto its back and rubbed frantically to remove the hot boiling liquid from its skin.

Édouard pointed his wand to the large towering stalactites overhead and yelled, "Expulso!" There was a large blast overhead causing tons of stone to be set free and fall from the ceiling. The large boulders crashed into the giant below, making deafening cracking sounds as they made contact with the giant's body. The Giant let out one more half hearted roar before it fell quiet.

"Lestat!" Édouard called as he ran to his fallen brother who had not moved since his fall. Édouard rolled his brother onto his back and looked into his brother's half open eyes. His body was limp in his arms as his face was covered in large bloody gashes.

"Brother" Lestat mouthed as his blood shot eyes focused on Édouard. Lestat gave Édouard a weak smile.

"Hold on!" Eduoard pleaded as tears began to flow down his face. He hugged the broken body of his brother in his arms but he could feel his brother's grasp on life quickly fleeting. Every breath Lestat took became more and more labored.

"Help!" Édouard cried over and over again but in the emptiness of the cave there was no one to hear his plea. He looked down at Lestat again and pulled away his matted bloody dirty blonde hair from his face.

Édouard felt the weakest tug of his cloak as he looked down towards the bloody hand of Lestat. The feeble hand trembled as it pointed towards the slain unicorn on the eight foot table.

Édouard turned his head back to his brother who had then closed his eyes and fallen unconscious.

"Unicorn blood" Édouard whispered to himself as he began to recall from his magical creatures class. "It has the ability to save one an inch away from death!"

"Hold on brother!" Édouard said as he rested his Lestat's body on the floor. Running over to the giants table, he climbed a chest high stool in order to get to the tabletop where the slain unicorn lay. The beautiful white unicorn looked absolutely peaceful in a pool of silver blood. Édouard ran his hand over the magical creature and he felt a sudden wave of sorrow like a dark cloud unexpectedly covering up the sun on a clear day. He pulled his hand back, shocked at the sudden dreary feeling that filled his soul.

His mind was recalled the words of his professor, "Unicorn blood has the ability to save one an inch away from death but at a terrible cost to the soul." He looked back at his brother's body, "Is it better to die than to live a cursed life? What will my father say if I let my brother die?"

"He will live," Édouard thought. Hesitantly, he scooped the ice cold silver blood into his hands before jumping down from the stool. The blood sloshed as he landed but enough of it remained in his hands. The blood felt unnaturally cold on his palms as though it had been intentionally chilled to freezing. Édouard placed his fingers between Lestat's lips and raised his hands in order to funnel the silvery blood into Lestat's mouth. Édouard watched as the silver liquid poured down, not leaving a single drop on his fingers or hands as it rolled off like oil on water. Once it had all gone down, Édouard watched his brother nervously.

"Mr. Partée!" Professor Lilyhammer's voice boomed from the entrance to the chamber.

"It's my brother professor!" Édouard cried aloud, the tears still falling down his cheeks as he sobbed.

Lilyhammer ran across the chamber, taking note of the dead giant in the corner of the room. He stood over Édouard who sobbed into the chest of Lestat.

"You have to move my boy. I need to see his injuries," Lilyhammer said, and for the first time since Édouard had known the professor, he heard genuine compassion in his voice.

Édouard felt the professor tug him away from Lestat's body but he continued to hold his brother's hand as the professor examined him.

"He's stable," Lilyhammer assessed, "But we need to get him to the hospital before his condition worsens. Hold on to me boy, I'm going to apparate us to St. Garicoits."

"Yes professor," Édouard muttered as he grabbed the robed arm of Lilyhammer.  
They arrived at the hospital and Lestat was immediately attended to by the healers of St. Garicoits Hospital for Magical Maladies. The healers worked for hours on Lestat but were finally successful in treating him. They promised that in a few days he should make a full recovery.

Diodore Claudius Partée arrived at St. Garicoits in a fit of rage and Édouard had to explain to his father and Lilyhammer the events that took place. He was keen on leaving out his use of the unicorn blood. He knew that such things would be highly frowned upon and could even get him in trouble with the ministry.

In a few days time, Lestat made a full recovery but Édouard never told him exactly how he had saved his life in the giant's cave. From that day on there was something different about Lestat, something ever so subtle behind his eyes that Édouard felt a deep seeded guilt for creating. For the rest of his life he wondered if he had made the right decision in that mountain cave on that cold starry night.

_March 16__th__ 1964_

Édouard was awakened from his dream by a sudden jolt as the helmet they were hiding in stopped vibrating. A slight pang of guilt resonated deep within his thoughts as he remembered his brother. Letting out a deep yawn and stretching, he looked across the large metal helmet to Samuel who had also fallen asleep and was now just waking up. Samuel rubbed his eyes as he stood to his feet in the conical metal room.

"Let's see if this theory works," Samuel said as he pulled out his wand. He walked over to Édouard and grabbed his hand. There was a loud "crack" as the two wizards apparated from the helmet into an empty alleyway. They stood only a few inches tall as a row of dumpsters towered high above them. A pair of large beady eyes glowed from underneath one of the dumpsters as some creature watched the two miniscule wizards.

Samuel looked nervously at the glowing eyes and raised his wand. "I think you should get us back to size before we end up as dinner for something that normally couldn't eat us."

Édouard pulled out his wand and knelt down to the ground. He pressed his wand against the ground and slowly raised it, chanting the counter spell.

Samuel felt as if he were flying upwards as he grew bigger and bigger. The creature under the dumpster scurried away in a brown tuft of fur as the wizards became too large to eat. By the time Édouard was fully standing with his wands over their heads, they were back to normal size.

Samuel was grateful as he patted his hands on his chest and turned in a full circle, making sure that his body was back to normal. "Excellent," He said with a grin before turning back to Édouard. "I'll get in contact with you when I figure out what we are to do next."

Édouard agreed and extended his hand to which Samuel gave a firm shake. Taking a step back from each other, the two wizards disapparated from the alley simultaneously, leaving it empty once again.

Chapter 15

You're lying

It was night time when Édouard appparated in a secluded place only a few blocks from his house. It was evening already and the entire day had been lost. As the sun set over his shoulder, changing the blue sky into various hues of orange and purple, he "muggle watched" on his way home. A family having dinner inside a restaurant caught his attention as they seemed to be having a pleasant time.

Édouard missed his wife even though he had been gone for only a couple of hours. He wanted to talk to her about the emotionally draining day that he had experienced but knew that he couldn't. She would undoubtedly try to stop him, or even worst, she would tell her father.

He walked up the steps to his home and opened the door to the smells of supper. From his second whiff of the air, he could tell that his wife had prepared a meal that was of Italian cuisine. Garlic, tomatoes and spices filled his senses with every breath.

"Bonjour" Édouard said tiredly.

"You're back!" Christiane said excitedly as she ran up to her husband and gave him a long hug followed by a kiss. "I've missed you. Where have you been?"

"It's a long story," Édouard answered.

"Come here into the kitchen and tell me, I am just finishing up dinner."

Édouard followed his wife into the kitchen where she had a glass of wine waiting for him on the table. He grabbed the wine and took a long slow sip from it, trying to enjoy the flavor. "This is very good."

"My mother gave it to me when I picked up Timothee this evening after work. I didn't see you at all today. What happened?"

"Well…" Édouard said with slight hesitation in his voice. "I was getting ready for work this morning when I realized I wanted to pick up some dragon balm for my sore body. You know, it's the cream that warms the muscles when you put it on."

"I know what it is" Christiane said. She seemed distracted as she started to plate the spaghetti onto large white circular bowls.

"Well, I go into Maldrake's Potions and this wizard approaches me asking if I wanted something stronger than dragon balm for my pain."

"Go on," Christiane said.

"Well, I figure this has to be a lead and feign interest in what he has to offer. I tell him this story about how I have chronic back pain and he tells me that he has just the remedy. He claimed to make a numbing agent based off of Acromantula egg serum and I remembered you telling me this morning that there were Acromantula eggs on the cargo ship. So, I figure, maybe this guy has something to do with the Venetian."

Christiane grabbed two plates before turning to her husband. "Wow. That's good thinking."

"Yeah, I know right! So this guy takes me down to Gobbledegook City where I meet his goblin contact who makes the numbing potion. Of course once they actually bring the vial out, I reveal to them that I am an Auror and they panic. I blasted the wizard but the goblin hit me with a sleeping hex. I literally woke up only a few minutes ago and both the goblin and the wizard were gone."

"Really?" Christiane said with suspicious interest.

"I'm just glad they didn't steal my wand or turn me into a goblin meat pie."

"Did you catch the name of the goblin?"

"Uh, I think his name was Garnak?"

"Did you report this to the office?"

"I figured I would do it tomorrow since most wizards have left for home by now."

"That sounds like a good plan," Christiane said as put the two plates on the table and returned to the kitchen to grab Timothee's bowl. There was something clearly bothering her and Édouard could sense it.

They sat down as a family for dinner with Timothee and Ursa at the table. Once again, their child demanded that the bear take over for his mom when it came to feeding him. Christiane was quiet during the meal as she watched her husband with her big brown eyes. Her blonde hair was tucked back and tied out of her face except for a piece of her bangs that was too short to tie back. Occasionally she would shake her head and rub the bottom of her wedding ring before going back to her food.

Sensing the immanent confrontation, Édouard only further played it off as though nothing was wrong.

Finally he mustered up the courage to ask, "Is there something wrong?" but Christiane only shook her head no before taking a sip of her wine.

"Timothee," Édouard said excitedly.

Their son turned his head away from the bear and looked at his father with a white noodle clutched in his hand. Édouard held a single finger over a lit candle at the center of the table and moved his finger from side to side causing the flame to mirror his movements. Then he twirled his finger around in circles and the small yellow flame started to spin around and around.

Timothee laughed and tapped his bear to look. Ursa lowered a fork full of spaghetti and began to clap in approval. Timothee giggled before extending his pointer finger towards the lit candle. His brown green eyes stared at the flame as he yelled "move."

To Édouard's surprise, the tip of the flame gave the slightest bend towards their son before it righted itself. Timothee kept pointing his finger and called out "move!" for a second time and the flame completely bent in his direction.

Édouard's face lit up with delight as he leaned in and kissed his son on the top of his head. "You did it!" he said and watched as his son performed the magic for a third time.

"Can you believe it?" he asked Christiane but instead of sharing in the moment, she stood from the table and cleared her plate.

"You taught our son to play with fire," Christiane muttered in frustration, "Good job."

"What's wrong?" Édouard asked.

"I will put our son to bed and then we can talk Édouard," She said with calm annoyance.

Édouard tried to help his wife clean up the dishes to which Christiane pulled out her wand and casted a spell for the dishes to be cleaned by themselves. A rag magically scrubbed the dishes, pots and pans while a towel dried them. The kitchenware floated into the proper cabinets and drawers, leaving the room spotless.

Walking over to the table, Christiane picked up Timothee and took him upstairs for his bath with Ursa in tow. Édouard stood in the kitchen sipping his wine by himself, wondering "does she know what really happened?"

It was another hour before his wife joined him in the bedroom where he sat on the bed reading a muggle newspaper.

"I honestly don't know what I did," Édouard confessed.

"Honestly?" Christiane scoffed. "You honestly don't know?"

"Yes. What did I do?"

"You lied to me Édouard!" Christiane fired back. All her anger and frustration was let loose in that single sentence. "You went to Gobbledegook City but you ended up in the Goblins Galleon. Vert saw you and came to me when he heard that you were going to the bank. He heard rumors of a dark wizard and didn't want anything to happen to you!" She walked over to her banister and took out her earrings. She looked into the mirror at her stunned husband on the bed, "What do you have to say now?"

No words came to him as he realized that she had caught him dead in his lie.

Christiane let her hair down as she talked to her husband behind her. "Then I went to the IGBP, worried that my husband was in danger. I was told that I couldn't go to the vault that GARNAK had taken you because of some bureaucracy. I had to get permission from the Minister of Magic in order to get down to vault 515. If that is not enough, Garnak claims that he did take you down to that vault along with another wizard which Vert did not recognize.

When we finally did get permission to enter the vault, do you know what we found? You should because you were down there before us. We found one of the shipping containers from the previous day and we pieced together that vault 515 belongs to the Venetian. I was ready to tear that container apart in order to save you but when I blasted the door open, the entire thing is filled with steam.

I figured, 'why would a bunch of wizards create a diversion before they used a port key to get out of the vault?' And that is when it hit me Édouard. We used that same tactic as a diversion against a dragon the day before. I not only knew that you were okay but more importantly, I knew you were probably still in that villa somewhere using a disillusionment charm or a transfiguration charm."

There was a long pause as Christiane stared into her husband, trying to get some kind of response out of him.

"Well?" She said, breaking the silence.

"I don't know what to say," Édouard replied.

"How about I am sorry for lying to you? How about Christiane you are right, I was in that bank today. How about, I am sorry that I terrified you by going missing."

She sighed in a defeated tone. A single tear rolled down her cheek, which she wiped away. "I am your partner in the ministry and in life, and there is nothing in this world that you can't tell me. The fact that there is a situation that you feel like you would need to lie about scares me. Your burdens are my burdens and every problem we face together. We promised each other that the day we got married."

Édouard fought the urge to tell his wife everything with every fiber of his being. He wanted her help, her opinion and to let her in but he felt that he could be putting her at risk. Simply knowing about his plans would make her just as accountable as he. If he told her and the plan failed, she could end up in Azkaban with him.

He thought nervously, "Could she understand what I was trying to do? Is this fair to ask of her?"

"Say something!" Christiane shrieked in utter frustration. "Let me in!"

Christiane turned from her husband and went into the bathroom where she closed the door behind her. Édouard heard the squeaky metal handles of the bath being started up, followed by the splashing of water.

"Aguamenti!" Christiane's voice casted from behind the door and she had filled the tub instantly with water. She was too frustrated to wait for the tub to fill.

By the time she got out of the bathroom, Édouard had already turned off the lights and was pretending to sleep. Crawling into bed she pulled the covers over her shoulder. She found Édouards hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I love you" she whispered before rolling over and falling asleep.

Édouard couldn't sleep and lay in bed for hours. His mind was filled with thoughts of his wife, his son, his job and his brother. Rolling onto his back, he stared blankly at the white ceiling above.

"I'm sorry" he whispered into the darkness.


	2. Part 2

Chapter 16

A New Auror

"Service, sacrifice and humility," Javert said, holding out a thick red book entitled, The Magical Code of Law. A much smaller child sized hand rested on the book cover.

"With service, sacrifice and humility," Vert's voice repeated.

Vert and Javert stood on a large stage with voice magnification charms amplifying their words. They were in a large central hall of the French Ministry where everyone could witness the historic event. Officials, Aurors, proactive wizards and newspaper reporters all packed into the room to see "the first non wizard Auror of France."

"Welcome to the elite fraternity of the Magical Ministry of France's Aurorship," Javert congratulated as he extended a very large hand that wrapped around the small hand of the house-elf. He gave it a delicate shake as blinding camera flashes filled the room and ministry officials clapped in applause.

The house-elf, who was still wearing his bowler cap, now donned the official black, blue and gold robes of the French Auror's office. His green eyes gleamed with pride as the Minister of Magic walked forward from a row of high officials and gave Vert a firm handshake.

It was obvious that over half of the high officials didn't approve of this decision to make a freed house-elf an Auror. The disgust smeared on their faces looked as if they had smelled something rancid.

"You can tell the pure bloods aren't a fan," Marie Goulet whispered to Édouard.

"They think non pure blood wizards are below them. I can only imagine what they think of when they see Vert," Édouard responded. "Let them sulk, change is necessary for the betterment of our world."

"The only reason the minister is making Vert an Auror, is to improve relations with the magical creature community."

"If a person does a good deed with the motivation of personal gains, is it still a good deed?"

"I don't know," Marie said. She turned her head and noticed that Christiane was sitting on the other side of the Ministry hall, "Still not talking to you?"

"It's been a few days and when we do talk, it ends up breaking into an argument."

"What are you going to do?"

"I've apologized more times than I can count," Édouard explained, "I don't know what else to do."

They watched as the Minister of Magic placed a large round medal around Vert's neck and the applause continued. There were a few more speeches and the house-elf beamed with all eyes on him. Towards the end, the reporters were given the opportunity to ask questions.

"You in the grey fedora," Javert said as he pointed to a reporter with his hand raised.

"Jean-Claude with the Wizarding Times," The wizard said, "Some claim that this is a political play to make the Ministry seem more progressive for upcoming elections. They say that Minister Roy has not had the best standing with magical creatures ever since he imposed the unpopular Goblin Tax two years ago. What do you have to say to those skeptics that believe Vert is not qualified to be an Auror and is just some political puppet?"

Javert cleared his throat before answering, "Vert is a highly qualified elf who has proven himself time and time again. I would not have approved of him becoming a part of my team if he did not possess the skills qualified for the position. In fact, he has been working with us for a few years now as an informant. I believe the Auror's department will back me up when I say that we are grateful to Minister Roy for agreeing with our decision to add Vert to our department."

The reporter in the fedora nodded his head in thanks before scribbling down the answer with his quill. Javert looked around and selected another reporter with her hand raised. This time it was a woman in a black and white checkered suit with horn rimmed glasses in the shape of wings.

"Madam Agate with the French Wizard Weekly" she said. A floating quill hovered next to her and scribbled on a notepad as she spoke. "My readers are curious. Who is going to have Auror Vert as a partner?"

Javert smiled as he looked through the crowd as he landed locked eyes on Édouard. "I in fact have known for a sometime who I would want to make Vert's partner should he be granted Aurorship. I feel that it is only right that the partner of this talented elf be the very person who set him free years ago. Auror Édouard Serge Partée will be granted the honor of having the first elf partner in the ministry. Together they will make history."

Javert pointed towards Édouard who sat amongst the crowd as the cameras turned on him and began to flash. Édouard's heart sank at the words knowing that it would mean the end of his partnership with Christiane. He looked over at his wife who did not make eye contact with him. Instead, she stared at her father with an unapproved look.

Édouard was shocked that his own father-in-law would give him a new partner. It wasn't that he didn't want to work with Vert, but he had worked with Christiane for years. Their partnership in the Auror's department began well before they were married. It was one of the aspects of his job that he enjoyed.

"Édouard!" One reporter in a brown suit called. "Are you excited to be working with your old house-elf?"

Édouard took a moment to compose himself out of his state of shock before he turned to the reporter who held a wand to his mouth to record. "Can you repeat the question?"

"Are you excited to be working with your old house-elf?"

"It will be nice to work with Vert," Édouard answered, still distracted by his thoughts.

He thought to himself, "Did Christiane know that this was going to happen? Why couldn't she look at me when the announcement was made?"

After another barrage of questions, the assembly was dismissed and the wizards headed back towards their respective departments. A table with snacks had been set up and some of the wizards and witches stopped to get a quick bite to eat and make small talk amongst the departments.

Édouard headed straight for Javert's office where he took a seat and waited. It was a few minutes before the tall man, walked through the door to his office with his daughter right behind him. She looked just as frustrated as Édouard.

"Bonjour" Javert greeted as he gestured for his daughter to take a seat as well. Walking behind his desk, he pulled out his own chair and took a seat. There was a high pitched squeaking sound as the springs in the chair bared the weight of the large man.

"Javert" Édouard started. "I think that Christiane and I should remain partners. Why would you split us up?"

"It wasn't my decision Édouard," Javert falsely admitted. "Once I proposed the idea of making Vert an Auror, Roy wanted a list of people that could be potential partners. I had to put both you and Christiane on that list because of your association with him. Once Minister Roy found out that you were the one who set Vert free, there was no turning back."

"Couldn't you have explained our situation to him?" Édouard asked.

"It wouldn't have helped. A husband and wife working together is already frowned upon as unprofessional. The fact that they didn't have me split you two up is just short of a miracle."

"We work best together," Édouard shot back. "There is no better team in this department than us!"

"Look Édouard" Javert explained, "You are already in hot water over your little disappearing act the other day. Then on top of that, you forgot your wand the day before. Maybe it is time for you to have a change in partners to sharpen you up. I can tell there is some spat between you two because you barely talk to each other. That is not good when you are out there in dangerous situations. I've seen many good Aurors die from less."

"Why can't we just add Vert to our team and work as three?" Christiane asked, trying to ease the tension in the room.

"That wouldn't work. If I keep you guys as a group of three, then that leaves an odd man out when our new recruit gets here this week. He will need a more experienced Auror to show him the ropes. I would rather have you both working with new Aurors than pairing the new guy with an elf. Especially since the public is going to scrutinize Vert's performance. There are a lot of wizards and witches on the Wizengamot that don't agree with Roy's decision to make Vert an Auoror. Potential rivals that want this decision to blow up in his face. Édouard, who better to train Vert than you?"

Édouard looked over at his wife and reaching over, he grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "I would rather be with her, Javert, sir, don't break us up."

"It's done," Javert said coldly. "Now is there anything else we need to discuss? I have to get back to work."

Édouard stood from the chair in frustration and walked out of the office towards his desk. Christiane quickly followed, "Édouard, wait."

"Did you know about this?" He asked turning around.

"I knew that he had suggested it to the minister," Christiane confessed.

"And you didn't try to shut it down then?"

"I didn't think it would actually happen. We work so well together! There were so many other qualified candidates."

"Why not mention that there was even the slightest possibility that we could no longer be partners?"

"I don't know," She sighed, her arms falling to her side. Her thumb began to caress the golden band of her ring finger. "I was mad at you. I figured maybe a little space could do us some good. I…"

"Well you got your wish," Édouard snapped back before walking to his desk and grabbing his Auror's robes. There was already a small miniature desk next to Édouard's desk. Vert was waiting eagerly, ready to start his first day as an Auror. The large bronze medal around his neck gleamed in the office light.

"Bonjour Vert," Édouard greeted as he tapped the house-elf on the top of the head. "Ready for your first day on the job?"

"Absolutely!" Vert said with excitement. "I've been waiting for this day my entire life Édouard!"

"Well, I am glad I get to share it with you," He said in a faux excitement before looking up at his wife with a cold expression. Édouard slid his wand into his robes before looking back at his wife. "You know, I am not upset at you for being mad at me. I messed up, I'll admit that. You can be as mad as you want and I'll always be by your side. What I am mad about is the fact that you can't find it in your heart to forgive me. That you would rather be so angry about my mistakes that you would let your father break us up and not tell me about it. Maybe you didn't feel like fighting for us but I would have."

Édouard slammed the drawer of his desk shut and headed out of the department with Vert following behind.

Chapter 17

Train Station

Édouard and Vert sat in the Bubbling Cauldron enjoying a nice cup of tea. It was their lunch break and the café in the Ministry was a popular place for department officials. Édouard was reading a history book as Vert enjoyed a strawberry tart. The elf flipped through a muggle newspaper, a practice that Édouard had suggested and Vert had taken to heart.

A month had passed since the two were paired together and there were already a few hiccups in the beginning of their partnership. Although Vert was learning quickly, there were a lot of spells that he was unfamiliar with. He never went to wizarding school and thus never received a formal education in magic. Elf magic was also different from wizard's magic and because of this Édouard could not anticipate his partner's moves.

Due to their early shortcomings, the two Aurors were being allocated to very easy assignments by Javert. Their days mainly consisted of rookie cases like dispatching boggarts, finding missing shipments of flobberworms and the retrieval of a very nasty pet Kneazle that had climbed up a tree and gotten stuck. Vert loved this Auror work but Édouard found it mundane compared to the cases he had been previously assigned.

Looking over Vert's shoulder, Édouard saw a wizard reading a magical newspaper. On the front page read "_Galleon Counterfeit Ring Busted_" followed by a picture of Christiane, Javert, Minister Roy and her new partner Louis Geroux. They all donned large smiles as their pictures moved and waved in front of a large pile of coins.

It was the third big case the two had cracked in the single month they had started working together.

Christiane's new partner, Louis Geroux, was top of his class at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, which was also Christiane's alma mater. He was a young wizard in his early twenties with buzzed black hair, thick eyebrows, distinguished facial features and deep brown eyes. He had a peculiar smile where one corner of his mouth came up higher than the other, creating what could be perceived as a smirk.

Christiane and Louis quickly became the best team in the entire department, always receiving open praise from Javert with multiple articles written about them in the local newspapers. This of course soured Édouard even more and thus acted like a wedge in their relationship.

"Édouard, why do you read American history during our lunch breaks?" Vert asked. He was always asking questions in order to learn from his partner. "Is there something in American history that makes you a better Auror?"

"It's a new hobby of mine Vert," Édouard said nonchalantly. "One should never stop learning. Take a look at this," Édouard said as he flipped a few pages in the history book. He slid the book in front of Vert and showed him a picture of a spectacled portly man flying a kite. Half way up the kite, tied to the string, was a key that dangled in a storm.

"Who is that and what is he doing?" Vert asked excitedly as his big green eyes watched the picture.

"His name is Benjamin Franklin and he is a muggle scientist," Édouard enlightened. Just then, a lightning bolt hit the key causing arcs of electricity to arc down the string and shock the portly man.

"Why did he do that?" Vert said as his big green eyes turned up to Édouard.

"He discovered electricity." Édouard explained. "By having it travel through metal. It's some of the interesting facts I learned when I study muggle history."

"Oh, ok," Vert nodded as he went back to his tart, "Should I start reading history books too?"

Édouard laughed, "Keep with the newspaper for now. Try and find three potential leads and I will examine what you pick out."

"Ok!" Vert replied excitedly as he picked up his tart and took a large bite. A glob of jellied red strawberry landed on the newspaper to which he quickly wiped off with his finger. Vert happily slurped up the jelly off his finger before turning the page.

Édouard went back to the section of his book that he was previously studying. There his eyes scanned the portrait of a wigged man in 18th century clothing. He wore fashionable military garb as he rested against a replica of Fort West Point. Underneath the printed picture was a small footnote that said "General Benedict Arnold." It was the fourth book that he had read on the 18th century wizard and they all said the same thing with minor variations. Édouard also found it interesting that most articles on Arnold were written by the magical historian Bartholomew Henry Periwinkle except for one book which was written by Bathilda Bagshot.

It had become common practice for Édouard to use his lunch breaks to find out as much as he could about Benedict Arnold in an attempt to find the location of his vault. It was also convenient to do his research at lunch because Christiane wasn't there to grow suspicious of his new found hobby. He read any magical and muggle book he could get his hands on, all the while not a single word of a bank was mentioned.

He visited the Imperial Goblin Bank of Paris, and asked if any vaults that belonged to Benedict Arnold but was quickly escorted out. He visited Gringotts Wizarding Bank in Diagon Alley and the Turnkey bank in the Americas without any success.

A small piece of Édouard didn't want to find the vault because know what dangers awaited inside.

Grabbing his small white teacup, he pulled out the tea bag and placed it on the saucer before draining the cup of its contents. The sweet and savory honey flavored drink felt good as it reached his stomach and warmed his entire body. Looking at the bottom of his cup, Édouard cocked his head as something strange happened. The bits of tea leaf stuck to the bottom of the cup began to orient themselves into the words "Gare du Nord."

"Samuel," Édouard whispered to himself. Setting down the teacup, Édouard watched Vert as he flipped through the pages of the newspaper. "Vert, what do you think if we called it an early day?"

"End work early? What about the cases I was supposed to find monsieur?"

"Take home the paper Vert and we will follow your leads tomorrow."

Vert shrugged his shoulders and finished the last of his tart before snapping his fingers and disappearing from the table.

Édouard rolled back the sleeve of his robes and looked at his watch before pulling out his wand and waving it over his robes, turning them into his regular clothes. He placed a couple silver sickles and a copper knut on the table before apparating from the café to the train station.

Gare du Nord was a larger train stations in Paris. The ground rumbled below Édouard's feet as a large red powerful locomotive thundered out of the station. Plumes of steam floated towards the large rectangular glass windows overhead that covered the hub. Green steel girders towered above in a web like pattern all the way to the roof of the building.

Édouard walked amongst the sea of muggles as they traveled to their various destinations. His eyes scanned each one of them as he looked for the familiar face of Samuel Redd. He was not sure if the American would be in disguise.

Making his way around a man pushing a long pallet loaded with bags of luggage, he found the American wizard leaning against a green column.

"Samuel," Édouard called as he approached.

"Mr. Partée," He replied with a grin. Extending his hand out, he gave Édouard's hand a firm shake.

"Have you found the location of Arnold's Vault?" Édouard asked.

"I am still working on the vault," Samuel confessed. "But I do believe I have found someone who can help us out. He is an old wizard by the name of Khor'ba Agni, who lives in the Temple of the Phoenix."

"The Temple of the Phoenix?"

"It is an ancient temple located high in the Himalayas where phoenixes are known to dwell."

"And why would Khor'ba…" Édouard paused as he had forgotten the second name.

"Agni," Samuel completed.

"Wi, why would Khor'ba Agni want to help us?"

"The monks of the phoenix are an order of wizards that have devoted their lives to the way of what they consider to be one the most sacred of creatures. They have denounced worldly possessions while focusing their energies on gleaning wisdoms and insights of the fiery birds."

"That is all good information but again, why would he help our cause?"

"To be honest, I don't know if Khor'ba will help us but he should be the wise man we are seeking for insight on the vault's challenges. Hopefully he could be persuaded with this," Samuel explained as he pulled out the gold phoenix pendant from under his vested shirt, "A phoenix tear."

"Salve," A sharp Italian voice greeted from over Édouard's shoulder.

Édouard's eyes grew as he pulled out his wand that was hidden in the waist of his pants.

"No need for hostilities," The Venetian said with a sly smirk.

"You left us to be captured," Édouard said just quiet enough for the muggles surrounding not to hear. A mixed expression of weariness and anger was on his face.

"Easy there," Samuel whispered into Édouard's ear, "We still need his help."

The Venetian stopped only a few feet away from the two wizards with his bodyguards' right behind him. The bald bodyguard had a look of disgust as if he had smelled something putrid while the other guard with the cut off leather jacket had a slight wild excitement to his look. The Venetian, compared to his men, still maintained his look of impeccable well dressed preciseness.

"Where is tall and ugly?" Samuel questioned as he looked around for the third bodyguard they had met in the villa.

"Doro doesn't do so well in crowds Mr. Redd. The staring upsets him and we wouldn't want that now would we," The Venetian explained before locking eyes with Édouard in a long stare. "Where's your elf?"

"You've done your research." Édouard snapped back. "Where's your home?"

"First my ship and then my villa, I find it peculiar that every time I run into you, I end up losing something Mr. Partée. I am not in the business of losing. I am a man who wins."

"So what are you doing here?" Édouard asked. "Because I guarantee if you start something in this terminal, you will lose for a third time."

"To help you Mr. Partée. To help you," The Venetian answered as he waved forward the long haired wizard with cut off leather jacket. "This is Oliver Spoon, he will join your team in order to make sure that my interests are protected."

"And what if we don't need his help?"

"You know, I only have so much patience for a wizard of your station." The Venetian said with the absolute slightest amount of frustration. Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out a long black wand.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Samuel yelled jumping in-between the two with his hands outstretched. "We will take your man."

"Buono," The Venetian said coldly.

Turning to Édouard, Samuel gave him a stern look, "We need the Venetian's help. I don't like it as much as you but at the end of the day, we still need him. Think of Lestat."

The name of Édouard's brother was like a shot in the heart as it sent cracks through his tough resolve. His stern look faltered before finally failing, forcing Édouard to turn away from the group.

"Then it is done. I have business in the north. Hopefully you will have something for me by then. Caio," The Venetian said before walking from the platform onto a large black locomotive with his bodyguard in tow and disappearing into the train car.

"I don't understand why we need him." Édouard murmured as he followed Samuel.

"You agreed we should add more people to the group," Samuel said as he weaved through the masses of people towards a long string of shops. It was clear from his tone that he was irritated.

"No, I meant the Venetian. What has he done for us that we can't do for ourselves?"

"He has the connections we need in order to break into Azkaban. Right now he is assembling another team that will help us break out Lestat and Mara."

Édouard grabbed Samuel by the arm and turned him around, "Look I am sorry if I was out of line back there but you have to understand. The Venetian is bad news. Ever since he showed up in France there have been dark wizards popping up everywhere."

"Oh, he's not that bad of a bloke once you get to know him," Oliver Spoon said playfully.

"You're English?" Édouard asked.

"Well my name sure isn't French, Frenchy" Oliver said with a smile before running his fingerless gloved hand through his hair. "So, where are we off to? Or would you two gents like to go back at it for another round or two?"

"Temple of the Pheonix," Samuel answered.

"And how do you suppose we get there?" Oliver asked.

"Floo network to Nepal, train into Tibet and we can fly to the temple using brooms because there is no official stop."

"Why don't we just apparate there?" Édouard said.

Samuel turned back to a man selling crepes and handed him a small bag filled with galleons. The vender opened the bag of galleons before pulling out a letterman's bag from under his cart and handing it to Samuel. Samuel opened the bag and shook his head before continuing to walk through the muggles, "I don't know exactly where the temple is but we will be apparating back."

"You know it is dangerous business apparating that far. I had a cousin splinched right in two. He left his good bits in Diagon Alley and his bad bits in a Hogsmeade!"

"I am sure we can manage." Samuel said.

"Hey, did you hear that?" Oliver Spoon asked as his eyes darted around from left to right.

Both, Samuel and Édouard looked around at the crowds of muggles going about their business before exchanging a glance of confusion.

"Hear what?" Édouard questioned.

"Ah, nothing." Oliver replied.

"How long will this take?" Édouard asked nervously. "I have a family that I will need to get back to. My wife is not too keen on me disappearing again."

"Four hours give or take. I can get us pretty close using the Floo network and the train should only be an hour or two before we reach the temple."

"Could we use brooms instead of taking the train?"

"It's cold up there. Trust me. We want to take the train as close as we can get." Samuel affirmed.

Chapter 18

The Temple

Samuel, Édouard, and Oliver listened to the rhythmic sounds of the train car on the rails as they sat in the small confines of their train cabin. Their seats were weathered and torn in some areas and the walls that had once been white had turned a yellow hue. The train snaked along sheer cliffs and dark tunnels, high in the Himalayas as it clunked along the old tracks. Gargantuan snow capped mountains towered high above the small train in every direction as far as the eye could see. The three wizards had traveled back through so many time zones that it was night time and a brilliant half moon lit up the sky, allowing for endless miles of visibility.

Édouard and Samuel shared one side of the cabin while Oliver sat on the other side with his legs stretched out. Periodically, Oliver had asked the other wizards if they had heard a sound that he could not explain. Édouard and Samuel found the practice strange, but then again, there were stranger ticks that other wizards performed.

In his hands, Oliver held an old tarnished silver spoon with a black string wrapped around its neck. He twirled the spoon between his fingers in a similar manner that Édouard had observed Samuel doing with his wand. Édouard remembered that it was the same spoon that Oliver had carried on his person in the villa.

"Why do you carry that spoon with you?" Édouard asked.

"This," Oliver said as he caught the spinning spoon and held it forward. "This spoon is my wand."

"Wand?" Samuel asked, closing a magical historical book from the 18th century written by Bartholomew Henry Periwinkle. "I thought wands had to be made out of wood, with a core."

"Wands can be made from anything." Oliver said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Wands are vessels that we as Wizards use to channel our magic. The reason why most wizards or witches use a traditional wooden wand with a core is that it is better for channeling that magic. They give you your wand at a young age, you build a relationship with it, you learn how it works and that bond with the wand grows making your magic stronger."

"So why not use a traditional wand then? Why use a spoon?" Samuel asked.

"There was no one there to hand me a wand as a kid. Instead, I found this."

"You're an orphan?" Édouard asked.

"One of many," Oliver explained. "The last big muggle war made a lot of orphans as they bombed their cities. There was no system for muggle born wizards to be introduced into magic. Sure they picked up one or two of us and sent us to school but for the most part mate, we didn't belong anywhere."

Oliver sat up from his bench and leaned in towards the other wizards before saying, "And if you got kicked out of school, which many of us did, we just went back to the streets. I think the pure bloods were kind of happy if you ask me. They didn't want us to be taught magic and with the aftermath being just as chaotic as the war itself, they were happy to leave us where we were."

"So how did you learn magic?" Édouard asked.

"We taught ourselves," Oliver sighed while examining the spoon between his fingers. "There were a group of us that knew we were different from the other kids. We could do things that the other kids couldn't. Make things happen that no one could explain. Slowly but surely we banded together to make a sort of gang and called ourselves the 'Wiz Kids.' Kind of pathetic now if you ask me but back then we thought it was wicked."

Édouard examined the tarnished spoon as Oliver performed all types of tricks with it, "And the ministry didn't stop you from performing magic?"

"For the most part they track wands, which none of us had, and besides that none of us did any real magic of note at first. We just seemed to make things happen. I found this spoon one day in a pile of rubbish that used to be some poor bloke's house.

One day I was finishing up my watered soup from the line and I was still hungry. When I dropped the spoon back into the bowl, it filled back up with soup."

"I bet that was a popular trick." Samuel noted.

"You bet Sam. That little trick of mine made me the leader of the Wiz Kids right quick and they called me Spoon. I don't remember my parents or my real name," Oliver explained as the grin faded from his face. "Eventually we all had various items that we started using to nick things here and there. We learned how to pick pockets with lifting charms and steal food, all the small time stuff. It all changed one day when one of the Wiz named Rose, said she was in a pub following a man with a real quality gold pocket watch. She says she saw him walk through a wall. Tapped some stones and was gone.

We snuck back to that pub that night and had her tap the same exact stones. To our surprise, the bricks pealed back and we were in Diagon alley. This was before some of us were recruited to wizarding school, so we had no idea that there were others like us."

"Did you start stealing there as well?" Samuel asked.

"We tried," Oliver admitted, "It didn't work out too well. Turns out that Wizards and Witches are better at stopping magical theft. We ended up operating in the muggle world but we knew we could always retreat back to the magical world if need be."

Édouard examined the black string that was wrapped around the neck of the spoon, "That string wrapped around your spoon?"

"Werewolf whisker," Oliver said. "One of the scarier times for the Wiz but when I wrapped it around my spoon, it changed my magic. It gave me more control."

"So how did you end up working for the Venetian?" Édouard asked.

"Eventually the Wiz Kids started making real noise and we had a few older Witches and Wizards take notice of our small organization. They taught us real magic, the dark stuff. It wasn't pretty," Oliver said. His voice seemed to trail off as his eyes began to replay the events of his hard life. "You'll be surprised what adults can make children do..."

Oliver paused and looked out of the window. He had a sad expression as he watched the glowing mountains in the distance, "We all have our debts to pay."

The cabin fell back to silence as the rhythmic churning of the tracks became audible again. The train car swayed slightly as they went around another bend.

"Hey, do you fellas?" Oliver started again as his eyes shifted around the cabin.

"No," Édouard quickly fired back, "I don't hear a thing."

Samuel pressed his face to the frosty glass and cupped out the light of their cabin with his hands. Peering out over a long valley, he saw a small glimmer of red.

"We're here!" He shouted.

The three wizards stood to their feet and put on heavy winter coats that Samuel had brought. Reaching into his letterman's bag, he began to pull out three long wooden brooms that they would be using to fly to the temple.

Exiting the cabin, the wizards walked towards the end of the train car where they saw that it lead outside. Quietly, they passed other cabins where families were sleeping and huddled together for warmth. Samuel placed his hand on a cold metal latch and pulled it back, releasing he lock on the door allowing him to slide it open. There was an instant blast of freezing wind, which stung the eyes, burned against the cheeks and froze the moisture in their nose.

"Glad we didn't fly?" Samuel called back as he made his way outside between the train cars.

Édouard and Oliver were too cold to give a verbal confirmation but shook their heads vigorously in agreement.

"Follow my lead. If you lose my trail, shoot red sparks!" Samuel yelled over the howling wind before mounting his broom and taking off into the night.

"Okay Ed, I definitely hear something!" Oliver shouted.

"There are a million things I hear right now. Like my ears freezing off my head! Now go!" Édouard screamed.

Oliver mounted his broom and in an instant was gone, flying high into the moonlit night, the tail end of his leather jacket blowing in the wake behind him.

"Humph!"

Édouard looked back at the narrow hallway where he could have sworn he heard a sound.

"He has me going crazy as too." Édouard thought before he mounted his broom and lifted off into the night. Although his broom looked to be an antique, its' performance was much worst. It flew sluggishly as he tried to keep up with Oliver and Samuel. The broom struggled in a vertical climb and at times Édouard wondered if he could make it across the large valley to the temple which seemed to grow larger as they approached.

Samuel landed first at the base of the temple and quickly turned around to illuminate his wand for the others to see. Waving it from side to side, he acted like guide for the other two wizards. Oliver landed easy enough while Édouard's broom came down faster than he expected and ended up crashing into a snowdrift.

Samuel and Oliver laughed at Édouard's misfortune as he waded through the freezing snow drift.

"Ed, where did you learn to fly?" Oliver asked.

"I know how to fly. That broom I was an antique. My grandmother used better brooms then that one," Édouard hissed.

"Well, you made it in one piece," Samuel said with a hint of optimism. "Welcome to the Temple of the Phoenix."

The large stone temple was built into the stone face of an absolutely colossal snow caped mountain. The architecture had heavy Asian influences with the long horizontal sloping roofs, high walls and drawn out corners. At the entrance was a two story statue of a phoenix with flames emanating from its' outstretched wings.

The three wizards walked up the long stone steps and passed underneath the legs of the giant towering phoenix. A muggle repelling charm had been casted around the temple to maintain its secrecy. At the entrance was a large stone door with the words "He who creates fire shall enter," carved over the top.

Pulling out his wand, Samuel pointed it at the entrance and casted, "Incendio!"

A small ball of fire was lit at the base of the large stone entrance and started to grow. The glowing trail of light crawled up the center seam of the door before starting to branch out and take the resemblance of the mythical bird for which the temple was so aptly named. The fire was warm against the exposed faces of the wizards at the entrance and felt soothing to their wind burned cheeks.

Then, without warning, the large doors of the temple began to pull apart and separate, revealing a very long open gallery where two rows of male and female monks sat in meditation. The monks wore red and yellow robes that were tied with a golden sash around the waste. Upon their heads they wore a small red cap with a phoenix feather dangling from the top by a golden string.

Behind each monk was perched some of the largest birds that Édouard had ever seen. With their majestic red feathers, golden beaks, golden talons, large black eyes, and glowing tail feathers, each phoenix was in its own right, a beauty to be seen.

Édouard had believed "Belle Dame," Christiane's owl, was an absolute beauty but she paled in comparison to these regal creatures who rested with their eyes closed.

Samuel entered the temple, followed by Édouard and Oliver, where the air was quite warm. They walked between the two rows of monks on a finely woven carpet that was embroidered with phoenixes that flew up and down the aisle. At the end of the long aisle was a simple stone alter where two phoenixes were perched. A beautiful moon white phoenix with silver tail feathers sat next to a large golden phoenix with a plume of feathers behind its head resembling a crown.

Looking above, Édouard's mouth dropped as he peered into the endless vastness of outer space. A large orange sun burned in the distance as an infinite number of stars twinkled in background darkness of space. A galaxy slowly spun as a bright white comet with a long twinkling tail slowly made its way across the breathtaking view. It was one of the most awe inspiring enchanted ceilings he had ever witnessed.

Édouard watched as a shooting star streaked across the sky and thought of his wife.

"Make a wish," he whispered to himself, before he looked back forward towards a large alter where the eldest monk sat.

"Welcome. I am Khor'ba Agni." The elder monk, whose Asian features had been kissed by time, smiled warmly. His golden eyes gazed into the distance as he did not perceive the world with his eyes but instead with his ears. His voice was soft and calm, yet it held a humble dignity to it that only the very powerful typically possessed. "What brings you pilgrims to our temple?"

Stopping just short of the alter Samuel respectfully bowed his head before urging Oliver and Édouard to do the same. "I am Samuel Redd and these are my fellow companions, Édouard Partée and Oliver Spoon. We seek your knowledge,"

The elder monk smiled as he tilted his ear towards his guests. "I will answer three questions. Remember that knowledge is a tool, it can be used for life and it can be used for death."

"We face three tasks your eminence." Samuel explained as he pulled out a scroll from the leather letterman's bag he wore. Placing it in front of the elder wizard, he unraveled it, revealing replicate images from the book he had presented to the Venetian.

The elder wizard pulled out a clear crystal and ran it over the scroll, reading the words as it passed, "The Lover, The Wise man, and the Fighter. Three you say Samuel house of Redd?"

"Yes, three challenges Khor'ba Agni," Samuel replied. "How do we get passed them?"

"In order to solve the challenges that you will face, you must understand what each challenge is asking of you. What does it mean to be a lover, a wise man, and a fighter? If you prepare yourself with that understanding, then you will be better prepared for what you face."

Édouard took a step forward and asked, "What do these three titles mean to you, your eminence?"

Khor'ba grinned as he tilted his head in the other direction so that his other ear would be closer to the wizards, "That is a very good question Édouard house of Partée," He lifted one of his delicate fingers and pointed towards his heart, "To me, a lover is a person who cares greatly for another. He or she is willing to do anything in order to bring their partner happiness and security. A lover is he or she who is able to sacrifice the betterment of themselves for whom they love most. Love is a powerful fuel for magic. A power we should be mindful to not let control us." He explained as he pointed to his head before resting his hand back in his lap.

"The wise man," Khor'ba Agni whispered. "My predecessor once told me that a wise man is neither the strongest, nor the smartest nor is he the best amongst his peers. A wise man is a humble man a respectful man, a courteous man. He is mindful of himself and he is mindful of the world around him. To truly know your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses is the gift of the wise."

Khor'ba made a fist and held it forward, "A fighter does not have to be a violent man, as many would presume. A fighter is one who is willing to stand for what they believe in most. To face your greatest fear in the midst of your enemies and not faulter."

Reaching into his robes, Khor'ba Agni pulled out a long slender elder wand with a phoenix core and waved it into the air creating a large golden ring. As a student of the circular nature of the universe, I cannot help but recognize that these traits are also cyclic in nature. A wise man will fight for what he loves and a good fighter will pick his fights wisely. It is only the very powerful who have truly become master of these three." With a wave of his hand, the golden ring disappeared before he tucked his wand back into his robes.

"Oliver house of Spoon," Khor'ba calmly noted. "What is the third question of your party?"

"We are looking for a vault that we cannot find your eminence," Oliver explained. "How do we find it?"

"hmmm," The elder wizard sounded as he squinted his golden eyes in thought. "Here in this temple we value the phoenix. We wear the colors of the great bird and we adorn their feathers to our garb. If you are looking for something that is of great value to another, all you must do is simply look upon that person to see what matters to them most."

"Thank you," Samuel said with another bow of his head. Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out his golden phoenix pendant and leaned forward to place it before Khor'ba Agni. The small golden phoenix glistened in the candle lit temple.

Khor'ba's ran his hand in front of him until he found the pendent. Placing it to his ear, he gave it a small shake.

"A tear," He said with mild surprise. "Might I ask why you have graced me with such a valued object?"

"We were wondering if you would do us the honor of joining us on our quest?" Samuel explained. "We do not know of the dangers that we face and a wizard of your greatness would be of great value as we go forward."

"The tears of the phoenix hold some of the most magical properties of our world. Although noted for healing, there are many others that that we are not aware of." Khor'ba said. "Unfortunately I am too old to travel with you on your quest but there is one who might be of more value. Would you be willing to exchange me for one of my apprentices?"

Samuel looked at Édouard and Oliver who both gave a nod of approval before turning back to the elder wizard, "Yes."

Standing up, Khor'ba clapped his hands once before calling out "Nyima house of Palden, step forward."

A petite young woman, no older than twenty, stood from the row of monks closest to the door with a large wooden staff. Tapping her staff left and right as she walked down the long aisle in the temple she slowly approached the altar.

"She's blind too?" Oliver whispered to Samuel.

"It would seem so," Samuel answered.

"Are they all blind?" Édouard questioned.

"I'm not sure," Samuel replied. "The only thing this book said was that this temple was dedicated towards the phoenix and that Khor'ba was considered one of the wisest wizards of Asia."

Reaching the altar, Nyima knelt down, "Teacher, what is it that you ask of me?" She asked in a very quiet voice.

"Nyima house of Palden, you are truly one of the most gifted monks in our temple. Your staff contains a feather from the phoenix Moon and you can perform magic well beyond your years. These wizards have offered a phoenix tear in exchange for the services of our temple," Khor'ba said. "Will you be our ambassador and take up their quest?"

"Yes teacher," Nyima answered reverently.

"Then rise, my apprentice," Khor'ba commanded.

Nyima stood from her kneeling position and faced her master who was unscrewing the top of the pendent. The elder wizard poured the silvery tear onto his thumbs and rubbed them together before reaching forward and rubbing his fingers over the eyes of his apprentice.

At first the young woman winced but soon enough the grey eyes began to turn a shade of dark rich brown with each blink.

"See again my child," Khor'ba said. "Go forth and be the fifth member of this party."

Khor'ba Agni sat back down and bowed his head and closed his eyes while his apprentice looked around the room, taking in everything she saw in amazement.

"Fifth?" Édouard asked.

"Yes Édouard house of Partée." Khor'ba Agni answered. "The house-elf that has accompanied you to this temple makes five members. Although I cannot see, I heard his footsteps when you approached this altar."

Édouard turned around and scanned the room, "Vert!" He yelled.

"Wi monsieur!" Vert yelled as he appeared from thin air. He patted down his Auror's robes and adjusted his black bowler cap before looking up at Édouard.

"Oh no!" Édouard cried in dread as he stared into the excited big green eyes of the elf.

Chapter 19

Counterfeits

Three wizards sat in a room that was no bigger than a walk-in closet. The walls were a bleak grey and a single light shone down from the ceiling. One wizard sat manacled in a magical restraining chair while the other two looked on from the other side of a black table.

The restrained wizard's eyes darted nervously around the room while a warm cup of cider steamed in front of him.

"We found you with over forty thousand counterfeit galleons in the safe of your store, Lamar," Christiane declared calmly as she took a sip from her own warm pumpkin cider. "That could be a very, very long stint in Azkaban."

Louis Geroux, Christiane's new partner, pulled out a set of moving pictures and slid them across the table. "You know laundering fake galleons is a very serious offense. On whose behalf were you moving all those galleons, Lamar?"

"I know nothing," Lamar protested. His squeamish eyes would lock with Christiane's cool gaze for only brief moments before darting away. "I am a victim here. Someone replaced my galleons with fake ones."

"You know, you're not the first one to tell us that," Louis said with a slight chortle. "We brought in two other wizard shop keepers who were doing the same thing. They eventually told us that you were the guy in charge. You approached them with the offer of fake galleons and that you would make the drops."

"I swear, you have the wrong guy!" Lamar yelled. He began to rub his hands together nervously, causing the manacles around his wrists to clink. His nails were unkempt and he had mousey features and grey matted hair.

Christiane leaned forward in a calm voice saying, "The other shop keepers only had a few hundred galleons at most. You had more than the rest of them combined. You had more gold in your safe than I've seen in most vaults in Gringotts and the IGBP."

"A lot more," Louis added. "We checked your wand for the spells you have been casting, and you are not making the gold which could only mean one of two things. One, that you're making the gold with an unregistered wand."

"Big offense Lamar," Christiane said.

"Or… you have someone else that is making the fake gold and bringing it to you," Louis theorized.

"Big offense Lamar!" Christiane said even louder. "People spend their hard earned cash in your stores and you give them back nothing but glorified Leprechaun gold? How did you ever expect that stuff to get past any of the major banks? It was the goblins that were the first to recognize your scheme and notify us, Lamar."

Sweat began to trickle down Lamar's temples. The pink faced man started to turn red as his eyes seemed to move even faster from left to right. He looked at Louis, then at Christiane, then back to Louis as if he wanted to say something.

"I, uh, I…" he stammered.

"Have you ever seen a dementor?" Christiane asked coldly.

Louis shuttered at the sound of the word, "We have one waiting right outside the door to take you away. I got a quick look at him, it was not pretty. Coldest I've ever felt."

Lamar's terrified eyes darted to the door.

"Look," Christiane explained calmly, "You give us your supplier and we can work out a deal. We gave the same option to the other shop keepers and that is why you are in here and they are back in their shops. You want to look like the victim, give us the guy who is making your gold."

"But, I..." Lamar uttered. The manacles around his wrist began to chatter as his hands shook.

"No use," Christiane sighed as she leaned back and yelled to the door, "Take him to Azkaban!"

The room got cold as frost started to grow along the seams of the door. There was a loud bang as the door shot open, letting in a flood of light. A scabbed grey hand began to creep around the door panel as black wispy robes danced into the frame. A deep dark moan emanated from just outside the door.

"ALRIGHT!" Lamar shouted on the top of his lungs. "His name is Garnak!"

Christiane's head shot around to the terrified wizard. "Garnak the goblin?"

"Yes!" Lamar screamed. "Please don't send me to Azkaban! Please!"

"Close the door," Louis ordered and the door into the questioning room was shut. Immediately the chilled air of the room returned to normal.

"You've heard of Garnak?" Louis asked his partner.

"Wi," Christiane answered. "He is a goblin that works in the IGBP. We worked with him only a month ago," She turned back to Lamar, "Tell me everything!"

Lamar sighed as his shaking hands grabbed the warm cup of cider. He nearly spilt all of it as he brought it to his mouth for a small sip before placing it back on the table. "It all started a couple of months ago. I was working in my shop at Lynx tail alley. We are a small cul-de-sac of shops that do alright but we don't get as much businesses as the main stores on the bigger streets.

So this goblin walks in and asks me if I want to improve my business. I of course agree to hear his proposition and that is when he tells me about the fake galleons. He explained that since working at the bank, he has found the perfect counterfeit that will get passed wizards, witches, even most goblins. It was so good in fact, that he promised it would get passed the IGBP.

At first I didn't believe him. Who would? I thought it was ludicrous but he showed me a set of galleons, one real and one fake, and by Merlin I could not tell the difference."

"How did you end up with forty thousand of them?" Louis probed.

"He told me for five thousand galleons, I could have forty-five thousand fake galleons. I only thought I would be getting a couple hundred, maybe even a thousand but forty-five thousand? Five thousand alone was nearly the entire worth of my store! I ended up taking out a loan against my store because it was the only way I could pay the goblin. The first payments on the loan were coming up and I had not made enough money to cover what I owed."

"And that's when you brought in the other shop keepers," Christiane said.

"Exactly," Lamar replied regretfully, "I had no choice and they say you never want to be in debt with the goblins. You could end up owing them more than just money."

"How did you move that many galleons?" Christiane asked. "It was a large mound of gold when we found it."

"Garnak had me meet him in the back of a store in Gobbledegook City. I think it was called 'The Minced Mushroom.' There he gave me a small felt pouch with strict orders to not dump out the gold until I was in a safe location with a lot of space. It was only after I had dumped the gold out that I realized how much trouble I was really in. I instantly regretted my decision."

Louis let out a small chuckle before leaning over and whispering to his partner "Not enough regret to stop him from selling it to his buddies or his customers."

Christiane acknowledged the comment with a nod before turning and asking Lamar, "And what time was Garnak in the Minced Mushroom?"

"He goes everyday after the bank closes, around seven," Lamar answered.

Christiane pulled back the black sleeve of her Auror's robes and checked a gold watch on her wrist. "We have twenty minutes until he shows up."

"Thank you for your cooperation Lamar," Christiane said before standing from the black questioning table and heading towards the door. Louis followed in suit, grabbing his cup of warm cider to take with him.

"Wait, what about my deal?" Lamar called out nervously.

"The head Auror will meet with you shortly with a representative of the Wizengamot. They will iron out your deal, pending this information you gave us." Christiane said over her shoulder.

Christiane walked to her desk and opened a drawer, pulling out a glass vial, "Nice work back there, with the cold air, frost and illusion, for a second I really thought a dementor was going to come through that door,"

"Thanks," Louis said with a grin. "I felt it was just enough to push him over the edge."

"It worked wonderfully. I usually just open the door and they crack sometimes, I'll make sure to write down what you did in the report. Javert might have to improve our protocol."

She placed her long slender wand to her head and pulled out a blue wispy glowing memory from her temple and gently guided it into a small clear glass vial.

"Francois," She called, turning to the desk behind her. "Can you give this confession to Javert for me and get Marie? I think I have the final piece of the puzzle to close this investigation."

"The counterfeit galleons case?" Francois asked excitedly.

"Wi," Christiane said.

Francois Rutan quickly shot up from his desk and jogged over to Javert's corner office. He tapped the shoulder of his partner as he passed by. Marie Goulet, looked up from a piece of parchment, grabbed her wand from her desk and followed her partner to the corner office.

"How did they realize that fake galleons were being used here in France?" Louis asked.

"A tourist," Christiane explained. "A wizard tourist from the UK was visiting over here on vacation. He had purchased a few things from some of the shops that Lamar had been selling counterfeit galleons to. When the tourist got back home, he deposited his extra galleons back into Gringotts. They discovered the fakes when the goblins took the Galleons down to the vaults. They passed under an enchanted waterfall and it set off all the alarms. They had to scan their entire bank for fakes along with kicking off an official investigation by their ministry. The Aurors over the channel realized that the galleons were perfectly designed to pass all the safety measures of the IGBP but not designed to pass the safety protocols of Gringotts."

"Does IGBP not have an enchanted waterfall?" Louis asked.

"They do not," Christiane affirmed. "The hardest part was convincing the goblins that it had to of been a banker making the counterfeits and not a witch or wizard. The fakes were too good to be an outside job."

A voice called over from Javert's office, "Alright let's go find some fake gold!" It was Marie, who was excitedly tucking her wand in her robes as she and Francois approached Christiane's desk. Javert stood from outside the door of his office and gave his daughter an approving nod as he held up the silver vial.

The Aurors arrived in the busy underground tunnels of Gobbledegook City just as the goblin workday was coming to a close. Pubs, restaurants and cafes were bustling with activity as the yellow glow of lights filled the upper floor housing that lined the cave walls of the streets. The large towering statue of Ragnuk the First loomed in the distance, just ahead of the golden pyramid that was the International Goblin Bank of Paris.

"Do we have a plan?" Louis asked.

"We move in fast and efficient before Garnak realizes what is going on," Christiane planned. "If Garnak has a chance to escape us, I don't know if we will have another chance to capture him. The goblins will show asylum to their own kind and aren't too keen on giving them up to wizards."

"Why are they all looking at us?" Louis said as he scanned the masses of beady eyes that were on their group.

"Goblins and wizards don't have the best historical track record," Marie Goulet said as she covered the rear of the group. "Countless rebellions and numerous bad deals have kept our two worlds on shaky grounds."

"Do you think they will warn Garnak of our arrival?" Louis questioned.

"I don't know," Christiane replied. "I hope not."

The Aurors walked a few more blocks down the main road until they saw the hanging sign of a mushroom covered in hash marks.

"We're here. I'll take point with Francois and Louis on my flanks. Marie, I want you covering the rear. Most likely The Minced Mushroom is a front for the counterfeit galleons so we will need to apprehend the store clerk before he has a chance to warn the others in back." Christiane said as she pulled out her wand. The other Aurors followed suit as they took their positions in a diamond shape.

They entered the store fast and furious with their wands out before them. The goblin store clerk of The Minced Mushroom didn't have a chance to react before the wand of Marie Goulet was pointed in his face.

"Don't move a muscle," She ordered the clerk who had his hands raised.

The three Aurors proceeded to the back door where they lined up single file with Christiane in front. She pointed her wand at the low doorknob and casted "Reducto!" causing the door to be blown off its hinges. She entered the back room through the door, where she stopped dead in her tracks.

"They were warned we were coming," Were the last thoughts to go through Christiane's mind before a massive explosion tore through the Minced Mushroom.

Chapter 20

Surprises

"I knew I wasn't going mad!" Oliver yelled as the group of wizards and Vert apparated into the empty backroom of the Goblin's Galleon. It was only seven o'clock in the evening when they had arrived in the Galleon and the sounds of Gobbledegook emanated from the front room of the pub.

"What were you doing at the temple?" Édouard asked, both shocked and slightly panicked. "I thought I told you we were only going to work a half day!"

"Well, you see…" Vert explained nervously. "Monsieur Javert told me that I should follow you."

"You should follow me?" Édouard said in disbelief. "How long have you been following me?"

His large green eyes scanned the various wizards who peered down at him, "Just after work, until you reach your house monsieur."

Samuel pressed his hand to his forehead as sweat began to run down his face. "You mean that your house-elf has been with us the entire time? He knows all our plans!"

Édouard knelt down, "Vert, were you with us at the station and in our train cabin?"

"Wi monsieur," He answered.

"Riding on my broom as well?" Edoauard asked.

"Wi. Although I must say it was quite scary back there. We were lucky to have landed in the snow."

"Our plan is ruined." Samuel stammered, as he fell back into one of the chairs surrounding a table. Turning to the bar, he raised his hand into the air. "Wolfy, I'm going to need a round of butterbeers and a fire whiskey for me."

The werewolf bartender, who was wiping down his bar, nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"How does this house-elf ruin our plans?" Oliver asked.

Édouard pulled out his wand and pointed it at the bartender who had his back turned to the group. "Muffliato!" He casted at the bartender's back.

"This little elf works for the ministry," Samuel explained, "He is reporting back to the head Auror of France with all of Édouard's movements. What do you think is going to happen when he tells him that Édouard plans on breaking his brother out of Azkaban?"

"Oh, yeah," Oliver said with a nod of his head "We're in barney rubble."

"Vert," Édouard said, making eye contact with his old house-elf. "You are a free elf with the ability to choose what you feel is right. I will not be upset with you if you decide to tell Javert what I am planning to do but hear me out. Lestat is in trouble and in Azkaban. He claims that he is innocent. As a part of our family, I need to see if that is true. If you tell Javert, he will stop me and I will likely end up in Azkaban for conspiring to break out a prisoner. Lestat always treated you like family because to both of us, you are family. Will you help us?"

The elf looked around nervously as he struggled with the idea, "We are family?"

"Yes we are," Édouard affirmed.

"Family sticks together!" The Auror elf declared. "Your secret is safe with me only under one condition monsieur Édouard."

"What is that?"

"I go with you from now on. You don't leave a partner behind."

Édouard smiled as he heard the words come from the small elf. Reaching in, he hugged the elf close, "Merci Vert," He whispered and for the first time, Édouard did not feel like he was alone in this endeavor. With Édouard's mother dying while he was young and his father passing just a few years ago, Vert was truly his only family he could talk to regularly.

Samuel was sitting at the table, chugging the last of his butterbeer when Vert and Édouard joined the rest of the group.

"Are we all squared away?" Samuel asked. His leg nervously bounced up and down under the table.

Both Vert and Édouard gave a confident nod.

"Okay, good," He sighed in relief. A wave of calm seemed to flow over his body.

Reaching into his bag, Samuel grabbed two large books and flipped them to the sections on Benedict Arnold. One book was of muggle history and the other was of magical history. The printed paintings of Benedict Arnold were identical with a man dressed in 18th century garb, standing in front of a small model fort of West Point. The painting in the muggle book was motionless while the portrait in the magical book moved.

"It seems that almost all the books were written by BHP," Samuel said.

"BHP?" Oliver asked.

"Bartholomew Henry Periwinkle," Édouard answered, "He was a historian."

Oliver sipped his butterbeer before asking, "Why don't we ask this chap where the vault is?"

Samuel shook his head in agreement, "That would be a good idea since he was a famous historian and the last one to read Arnolds book on magical items. Our only problem is that he went missing over a decade ago and no one has heard from him since."

"We need to find another way to discover the location of Benedict Arnolds Vault." Samuel explained as he pointed to the figure in both books. "He lived in both America and in England but when I went to the major magical banks of both countries, neither had records of him ever reserving a vault."

"What if he used a fake name?" Édouard asked.

"That could be a possibility." Samuel answered. "He most definitely could have used an anagram or some other trick to hide his identity. I think the key is that if we learn more about the man, maybe we can get into his mindset and find some detail we are overlooking."

"What about a muggle bank?" Oliver asked.

"That is a good suggestion." Samuel noted. "Wizards would not think to check a muggle bank for magical artifacts and the muggles that maintained the bank would not know the true value of the items they were holding."

"What if the vault is buried like treasure with a dragon protecting it!" Vert yelled as he put down his butterbeer. It was nearly empty. His high pitched voice got even higher as he became excited by the prospect of guessing where the vault could be. He contorted his small elf face and raised his hands as he began to imitate a dragon.

"An interesting suggestion," Samuel hesitated, "Although that is not good for us I guess."

Édouard reached over and slid Vert's butterbeer out of reach as the hyper elf continued to imitate the dragon.

Édouard looked over and watched Nyima who stood quietly holding her butterbeer. She had not tried the sweet drink but instead looked around the room, taking in all the sights. The world was new to her again as her dormant sense of sight was reawakened. Leaning in she smelled the butterbeer before quickly snapping her head back and rubbing her nose.

"The bubbles," Édouard explained but Nyima just nodded.

"What if someone has already broken into the vault and pillaged it?" Oliver questioned.

"Well that is one thing we know that hasn't happened." Samuel said definitively. "We know that the vault has not been opened. I scanned the book before I handed it over and none of the major artifacts have ever shown up in the last two hundred years. If the vault was opened and pilfered, we would have seen the objects showing up in markets or homes of the wealthy. Since we haven't seen the objects, my money is still on it being hidden."

Oliver re-examined the situation, "So, we have an unopened vault of a wealthy trader from nearly two hundred years ago. No records in the banks… Hey what about his house? I know tons of blokes who hide their valuables at home, under a mattress."

"Both homes are gone." Samuel answered. "That was the first thing I checked when I was over in England."

"Well that's just great," Oliver sighed in frustration.

Samuel watched as a long delicate hand floated over his shoulder and landed on the two paintings. Nyima's voice was quiet, just barely above a whisper as she quoted the words of Khor'ba Agni, "If you are looking for something that is of great value to another, all you must do is look upon that person to see what matters to them most."

Moving his head to get a better angle of what Nyima was pointing out. Samuel found that in both pictures of Benedict Arnold, the small replicated fort was painted in.

"Brilliant Nyima," Samuel said as he clapped his hands together.

Nyima's hand slinked back into her robes as she took a step away from the table, bowing her head slightly. "It was just the teachings of his eminence."

"Bloody brilliant," Oliver murmured. "The greedy little git made his own vault!"

"That's the vault?" Vert asked aloud as he stood on his chair and leaned over onto the table to get a better view.

"I bet you anything it is," Samuel said. A new excitement was in his voice. "It's nothing but spatial magic."

"But it is so small?" Vert noted.

"Well, the outside is small Vert," Édouard explained, "But on the inside it could be rather large."

Samuel locked eyes with Édouard and gave him a nod, "And we have just the wizard who can perform the charm we need to get us through that front door."

Oliver cocked his head and pointed to the small miniature fort in the picture, "Well that is all fine and dandy chaps but we still don't even know where this fort could be? Drawing says West Point."

"That's in New York." Samuel explained.

"I know of York, I didn't know they built a new one."

"No, that's a state in the Americas."

"Oh," Oliver said, his face turning bright red. He shrugged his shoulders, "I never went to school mate, don't know my geography."

"I am going to head to West Point and see what I can find. Oliver, you start looking in England and see if he brought the fort back with him." Samuel ordered. "Those are the two known locations that Benedict lived."

"Nyima, would you like to come with me to America or would you like to go back to the temple until we find this fort?" Samuel asked.

Looking up, Nyima gave a small nod. "I would like to see America."

"Awesome!" Samuel said as he pulled out a few silver sickles and placed them on the table. "We will meet back here if we find the location of the fort."

"Well then it's a plan!" Oliver said before pulling out his wand and apparating from the room.

Samuel offered Nyima his arm to which she accepted before the pair disappeared from the room with a loud "pop."

Alone at the table, Édouard turned to Vert who had gotten a hold of Nyima's untouched butterbeer and was polishing it off. "Vert, I don't want to make you feel like you have to do this. I feel like I might be taking advantage of your friendship."

Vert placed the empty mug on the table before wiping off the foam beard that had formed around his mouth. His big green eyes looked up at Édouard from underneath his bowler cap, "I know monsieur. Vert has made his decision as a free elf, for family. The older wizard said sacrifice and love go hand in hand. If that is the case, then I am happy to sacrifice myself for my family."

"Thank you. I am in your debt Vert," Édouard replied. "I…" But before Édouard could continue, the ground beneath his feet began to rumble. "Do you feel that?"

The sounds of the crowd in the front of the Galleon were all simultaneously silenced as everyone felt the slight trembling in the ground. Distant concussive booms started to echo through the pub as the glass mugs rattled.

Vert's ears perked up from behind his black bowler cap as he listened intently to the distant sounds coming from the city. "Madam Christiane is in trouble!"

"Take me there!" Édouard said.

Chapter 21

The Battle of Gobbledegook

Christiane's last memories were of her entering the backroom of the Minced Mushroom and seeing great piles of counterfeit galleons. Before she had a chance to react, the three goblins in the center of the room had all casted blasting curses and she was catapulted out of the shop window and into the street. The rest of her memories were a chaotic blur as the other Aurors were quickly over powered and forced into the potions shop across the street. Not only were they ambushed by Garnak but Anghook, the chief goblin banker, was also a part of the backroom attack.

Lifting her head over the shattered display window of what used to be the potions shop, Christiane observed Francois lying unconscious in the middle of the street. Next to his tattered body was her ivory ash wand. She had been separated from it when she was blown out of the shop and dragged to safety by Louis. The young Auror had saved her life before taking a very powerful curse to the head.

A white orb of light passed inches over Christiane's head, forcing her to take refuge back under the front window. The goblin clerk kept them pinned down with curse after curse while Garnak, Anghook and a third goblin, she could not identify, were performing some kind of magic she did not recognize.

Every breath hurt and by the feel of it, Christiane guessed that she might have broken one or more of her ribs. She winced as she tried to move but was paralyzed by the pain that radiated through her body.

"Louis, wake up!" Christiane wheezed as she shook the unconscious Auror on the ground. His black robes were shredded and burned as a deep gash on the side of his head continued to bleed.

Marie Goulet limped back into the front of the shop, keeping low to avoid getting hit by one of the curses that flew into the decimated shop.

"There is no exit in the back," Marie said as she held her broken arm. "What do we do, none of us have wands?"

"I don't know but we can't leave Francois." Christiane rasped as tears began to trickle down her soot covered cheeks. The pain of each breath was unbearable. "Look for a potion to distract the goblins… darkness powder or instant flash. My wand is next to Francois. I will apparate us back to the ministry, if only I could get to it."

Marie looked back at the hundreds of shattered glass potions that were scattered all over the floor. Some were glowing and creating weird smells while others burned different colored smoke. It was an indistinguishable mess of broken glass and different color liquids.

The ground began to tremble causing the broken glass to clink and the few remaining beakers of potion to rattle off the shelves.

"What is that?" Marie said with a terrified look on her face. She inched towards Christiane as they both peered over the top of the broken shop window. To their horror, they watched as a golden giant made out of galleons bashed its' way out of the Minced Mushroom. The colossus stood over thirty feet tall with its humanoid form. Its' body rattled like chainmail as coins trickled off of the colossus' body and rung against the stone ground of the street.

With the arrival of the colossus, the few goblin observers that had stuck around to watch the battle unfold quickly sought refuge with their kin. The streets of Gobbledegook City were empty like a ghost town.

Anghook looked up at the towering giant and pointed in the direction of the potion shop before yelling out a harsh command in Gobbledegook.

The coined colossus looked down at the goblin and nodded before all the coins in its head vibrated, creating a high pitched screech as it started to make its way towards the potion shop.

"No!" Marie cried as the tremors grew stronger.

"Look at me!" Christiane yelled, to get Marie's attention. She turned Marie's head towards hers with a shaking hand and locked eyes. "Hide in the back, don't make a sound. Escape if you can when it's all over."

"But what about you?" Marie asked.

"Go!" Christiane ordered. "Don't look back."

Marie hugged her broken arm close to her body and fought the urge to scream as she got up and ran to the backroom. Christiane let out a cry of pain as she too stood to her feet and took a step out of the shop window and into the street. She looked up at the tall coin colossus as it towered over her. Its' metallic flesh glistened in the street light in a sort of terrifying beauty.

Looking down, the formless head emanated a chattering roar before raising one of its' massive club like arms high into the air. The enormous arm cast a shadow over Christiane as coins trickled down and rattled off the ground all around her like a golden rain.

"I love you Édouard," Christiane whispered as she closed her eyes and braced for the final death blow.

There was a thunderous crash as the sounds of millions of coins scattering on the street echoed off the high walls of the underground city. Christiane's eyes shot open to see that the entire street was paved with galleons.

The massive stone head of the statue of Ragnuk the First rolled to a stop only a few yards away. Christiane looked down the street where the stone head had come from and saw a wizard and an elf standing in the street in front of the decapitated statue.

The sudden fear of death was replaced by hope as she yelled "Édouard!"

"Get back into the shop mon amour!" Édouard called back to his wife.

The four surprised goblins standing in front of the Minced Mushroom started to chatter in Gobbledegook before they walked into the street and formed a row.

"Vert," Édouard called, not taking his eyes off of the goblins. "Can you get into that shop and see to Christiane?"

Looking up with a firm expression, Vert nodded his head before snapping his fingers and disappearing. Vert appeared in the potion shop less than a second later where he found Christiane and Marie huddled over Louis' body.

"Time to go!" Vert said as he walked up to the battered Aurors and placed his hand on Louis. With a loud "crack" they all disappeared from the shop and were back in the ministry.

"Francois is still in the street!" Christiane winced before she fell over in pain and exhaustion.

Vert watched as Christiane fell unconscious and he said, "No one hurts my family." The elf was gone a second later. Instantly he arrived back with Francois as ministry officials ran to the aid of the fallen Aurors.

Back in the Gobbledegook City, Édouard found himself in a standoff against the goblin bankers.

"Four against one…" Édouard muttered to himself as the goblins let out detesting hisses. "Well, at least I have a wand this time."

Their beady black eyes and shark like teeth beamed with anticipation.

It happened in a flash as one goblin sent out a curse followed by another and another. They came in at rapid succession as green, red and white orbs of light that flew in the air. Édouard parried each curse skillfully with his cherry dragon heartstring wand. He raised his shield charm and dodged from side to side.

Édouard went to take a step back when he slipped on the galleon laden floor. For a split second he lost concentration and his shield dropped. With his shield gone, Édouard was blown back by a curse to the chest. His body rolled as he hit the ground and his ears rang with a high pitched whine. He placed a finger in his ear and rubbed it vigorously, causing his hearing to slowly recover.

Édouard heard four muffled pops from behind as he rolled onto his stomach and fought back to his feet. He watched as the goblins at the other end of the street look nervously at each other as they hissed in their native tongue.

Édouard felt a hand on his shoulder and looked back to see Samuel, Oliver, Nyima and Vert standing at the ready.

"Looks like you could use an extra wand," Samuel grinned as he removed his hawthorn wand from his vest pocket.

"Merci," Édouard thanked before turning back to the goblins. "This is your last chance to surrender yourselves to the Ministry of France willingly."

"I will not answer to your ministry wizard!" Anghook seethed. He gave a toothy grin before raising his hands with the other goblins. The last goblin on either end pointed his outer palm towards the galleons on the ground.

A yellow light began to glow in-between the outstretched palms of the goblins and shot into the ground. There was a sudden rumble in the earth as the galleons began to pull themselves into four growing mounds. At seven feet each, the piles of galleons started to shape themselves until four colossi stood in the street.

"Here we go again," Édouard muttered.

The four golden coin colossi let out their shrill chattering roars before charging towards the wizards.

Édouard pulled up a shield charm while Samuel and Nyima sent blasting spells at the giants. One of the spells caught a giant in the arm and blew the metal arm clear from its body.

Oliver pulled out his spoon and whispered an incantation before generating a large ethereal fist. He made a punching motion that smashed the fist into one of the charging colossi and the monster detonated into a shower of coins.

Anghook and Garnak called out another spell in Gobbledegook and the scattered coins of the colossus began to remold themselves back together. The two other goblins in the group stood sentry as they sneered and jeered at the wizards.

Édouard held strong as a massive metallic fist smashed into his shield. He saw Nyima vault over the one arm colossus as it reached down for her. She smashed her staff into the head of the colossus, causing it to shatter. To her amazement, the head and arm began to regenerate.

Samuel recovered from being hit by one of the colossi and pointed his wand to counter when a sudden slash cut across his chest. Blood ran down his torso as he placed a hand to staunch the wound. Looking up he found that he had been cursed by one of the goblins. In return, Samuel fired a curse back at the goblins but as the glowing orb of light got approached, it ricocheted off of an invisible domed shield.

"Beware of the goblins, they are shielded!" Samuel yelled as he pulled out a brown eagle feather and waved it over his wound. A thick gold smoke poured from the feather and filled the wound and healed it.

Oliver looked over at the snickering goblin who had cursed Samuel, "I have something for you mate." He said with gritted teeth. Pointing his spoon at the group of goblins, he sent a massive blue ethereal fist that was completely absorbed by the goblins shield.

Oliver witnessed a blue ethereal glow transfer from the two goblins maintaining the shield to the two goblins with their hands held high maintaining the metal giants. Looking around, he noticed that the coined colossi had a subtle blue glow to them. "They redirected my magic, those pointy eared, shark toothed, beady eyed… Oy, Vert!"

Vert disapparated out of the way of a charging colossus as it barreled into a store front. The small elf arrived asking, "Yes monsieur Oliver?"

"The goblins are the key to these metal monsters regenerating. We need an indirect way to take them out!"

"Metal… Key," Vert repeated as his big eyes turned to the four goblins and looked at the metal galleons underneath their feet. He gave a slight chuckle before snapping his fingers and disappearing.

Vert appeared in front of the golbins and waved Oliver to join him. Oliver nodded his head and apparated to the elf. Vert dodged two curses from the goblins before yelling, "Benjamin Franklin!"

Édouard clenched his jaw as he focused on his shield charm. Sweat began to drip down his temples as he gripped his wand ever tighter in his hands. The colossus, only inches away, leaned all its weight against the blue glowing shield. Édouard felt she soles of his shoes skid backwards, giving the slightest amount of ground. "This spell won't hold for long," He thought. Looking behind the charging metal beast, he watched as Vert blew the galleons into the goblins' shield until they were waist deep in the metal coins, while Oliver had casted dark grey ominous clouds overhead.

"What are they doing?" he wondered but his mind was drawn away by the chattering call of a second colossus as it tore out of the ruins of a shop.

Édouard thought to himself, "If I take my focus off my shield spell then I will be crushed between these two," but then he had an idea.

He could hear the clinking of coins hitting the stone street as it got closer and closer. Louder and louder the ringing became until it was right behind him. He felt the ground shake as a coin dropped onto his shoulder and slid to the ground.

"Now!" he thought as he dove out of the way and dropped his shield. The two colossi smashed into each other with awe inspiring force as they disintegrated into a large pile of coins.

Standing to his feet, Édouard felt the ground tremble again from the large mound of gold. Instead of two giants emerging from the pile of coins, one massive monster emerged. It let out a louder chattering roar, now that its size had doubled.

"J'en ai marre!" Édouard yelled in exacerbation. His body was wearing down from the fight and he felt as if he had very little energy left. He ached from the battle and yet he remembered how his wife had looked standing in the street. He found a new fire burning deep within as he pictured her battered look.

"You attacked my wife!" Édouard boomed as he raised his wand towards the fourteen foot coined colossus. His hands trembled in rage as a vein in his head bulged and pulsed. The green flecks in his blue eyes began to glow as he shouted "Draco Incendio Totalis!"

A blue flame of intense heat spewed from the end of Édouards wand, creating a monstrous growl as it tore through the air and blasted the colossus like a furnace. The air roared as the very atmosphere surrounding the inferno was cooked. Édouard closed his eyes and turned his face away from the intense heat. He only held the spell for a few seconds before he began to feel his hand start to blister. Dropping the spell, Édouard found a pile of melted coins. He was out of breath as he watched the liquid gold pile before him. To his greatest fear, the mound of slag shuttered with life. "No," he protested weakly.

From the other end of the street, there were a series of loud crackling booms as bright flashes of lightning were coming down from a small thunderhead that Oliver had conjured. The bright bolts of lightning were landing outside of the goblins shield but still hitting the large drifts of coins that Vert had pushed together. The bright bolts of electricity arced throughout the coins, underneath the shield, and into the small bodies of the four goblins. Their bodies' seizure as their teeth chattered and smoke poured from the top of their heads.

Oliver yelled, "Meteolojinx Recanto!" before lowering his silver spoon and ending the conjured lightning. The four goblins collapsed as the two remaining colossi broke apart back into piles of coins. Édouard let out a visible sigh of relief when he looked back over at the pile of molted coins and saw that it showed no signs of life.

The exhausted group of wizards came together at the center of the street. Samuel gazed at the four smoking goblins and let out a long whistle of amazement, "Now I can see why those goblin rebellions were so tough."

Oliver ran his hands through his long hair as he straightened the lapels of his sleeveless leather trench coat, "Those little gits were quite the handful."

Even Nyima looked disheveled and exhausted as she leaned on her long wooden staff. It was made from walnut and Édouard had observed her cast a few spells from it. She attempted to blow a few strands of black hairs out of her face as her eyes studied the goblin city.

"Thank you for your help," Édouard said to the group.

"It was nothing," Samuel said but he winced as he held his hand to his side, "Might need to put some ice on that."

"Whose idea was it to shock the goblins?" Édouard asked.

"That little elf of yours," Oliver replied. "We couldn't attack the shield directly because the magical energy would be turned against us. Instead, we needed an indirect way. Vert figured electricity could travel through the coins, through the shield."

Édouard turned to the elf, "Where did you get the idea to use the coins to shock the goblins?"

Vert looked up with his big green eyes, "Benjamin Franklin was the key!"

Édouard and Samuel laughed upon hearing Vert's response.

Vert walked into the center of the group and tipped his hat, "For family."

"For family," Édouard repeated.

Chapter 22

A Gift

Christiane Partée opened her eyes in her room at St. Garicoits Hospital for Magical Maladies. She took in a breath and felt soreness in her chest and back but it was nowhere near the excruciating pain that she had experienced down in Gobbledegook City.

Christiane's had a private room with no other patients that she would have to share with. The wall paper of her room was a cheerful mint green with white boarders. Turning to her bedside table, she noticed a few bouquets of flowers next to her hospital bed. She went to move her hand and felt that it was in the grasp of another. Lifting her head, she found Édouard resting in a chair by the side of her bed with his hand holding hers. The red diamond of his wedding band was next to the blue diamond of her ring. She watched the two rings side by side and remembered the day they had placed them onto each other's finger.

Christiane attempted to move without disturbing her husband but as soon as she drew her hand away, Édouard's head shot up. His eyes were red and tired as he rubbed them with a bandaged hand.

"Hi," Christiane said softly as she gave a weak smile.

Édouard sat up in his chair and moved it closer to his wife's side. "Mon amour, how are you feeling?"

Christiane tried to sit up and winced a little from the soreness in her back and chest, "I think I am ok. My ribs don't hurt as bad as before."

Édouard stood up to assist his wife in her hospital bed, "The medical healer who was taking care of you said that you broke three ribs and fractured two vertebrae. They were able to fix the breaks and fractures but they said the soreness is going to take some time to heal."

"What happened to your hand?" She asked.

Édouard lifted up the bandaged hand and examined it himself as if he didn't realize it was in gauss, "I burned it while performing a pyromancer's spell."

"Aw, I'm sorry" She said as she grabbed her husband's bandaged hand and placed a kiss on the white gauss, "What about Marie, Francois and Louis?"

"They are all in recovery like you. They set Maries broken arm and used Skele-Gro to speed up her healing. Francois and Louis had it the worst with the injuries to their head. The healers said they will be in here for a while."

Christiane looked out the window at the night sky as a look of shame came over her face, "I lead them into a trap."

"Hey," Édouard quickly interjected, "That ambush could have happened to anyone. The goblins don't like us being down in their city to begin with. The moment anyone of us shows up, they all know. There is no way you could have known that they would go as far as to attack Aurors of the Ministry."

"I should have brought more back up. We were foolish to only go in with four. Maybe I was getting too cocky," Christiane said in a low sad voice. "What happened to the goblins?"

"Dead," Edward answered. "They put up one heck of a fight and we really had no option. It was either us or them. Vert was the one to bring them down."

"How is he doing?"

"Like me, just a few scrapes and bruises but nothing too bad," Édouard explained. He reached into his robes, "I brought you something."

"What?"

Édouard pulled out an Ivory colored ash wand with a veela hair core and placed it into his wife's hand, "I believe this is yours."

Christiane gripped the wand and looked upon it lovingly as if she were being reunited with a long lost friend. It was a familiar feeling that all wizards shared.

Édouard pointed to the various bouquets of flowers, "These are from the ministry, those are from your family and the roses are from me."

"Thank you," Christiane said. Her voice became choked up as she wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek. It felt as is if all the emotions she had tried to suppress in her near death experience flooded her entire body at once, "I... I…"

"Shhh," Édouard consoled as he stood up and hugged his wife. "It's ok."

"I almost died down there Édouard," Christiane sniffled. "I thought it was the end and when I saw you… It was as if I was granted one last wish. I thought of you, I thought of our son. I just don't know if I can do this anymore."

Édouard leaned back from his wife, his blue green eyes meeting her brown ones, "You are an amazing Auror. I get shaken up too. If you are done with the Aurors department, I support you. If you want to take some time and go back to being an Auror, I support you. No matter what you choose to do, I will be there by your side to support you mon amour."

"Thank you." She mouthed as she wiped the tears from her face.

"I brought you something else." Édouard said with a smile. "I was going to wait until our anniversary next week but I figured I would give it to you now."

Édouard reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metallic heart shaped pendant on a silver chain. The metal of the pendant was a beautiful cross hatching pattern that reflected various slivers of light as it moved in her hand.

"It's beautiful."

"It's from a falling star," Édouard said as he helped her put it on, "Make a wish."

Christiane placed a hand over the meteorite pendant and gave it a gentle squeeze, "But it already came true. I got to see you."

Édouard leaned in and kissed his wife for a long time, feeling the warmth of her lips against his. Leaning back he wiped a tear that had fallen from her cheek. "I love you," He whispered.

"I love you too," she immediately answered back with a smile. Her heart pounded in her chest and she felt like she never wanted to let him go from her side. He had saved her from death and she knew that there was nothing he wouldn't do for her.

There was a knock at the door and they both turned their heads to see Javert standing in the doorway. His large body nearly took up the entire frame as he entered the room, "I hope I am not interrupting."

"Not at all Papa," Christiane replied as her father walked next to her bed and gave her a hug.

"Your mother and I are so happy that you are ok." Javert said. He stood straight up and looked Édouard in the eyes. He extended his large hand across the bed to Édouard, who gave it a shake. "Thank you."

"I would do anything for her." Édouard said.

"After today, I most certainly believe it." Javert answered. "To think that those goblins would attack members of the ministry is deplorable. I have been personally assured by the leaders of their community that Anghook, Garnak, Leehook and Grecknak, were in no way working with goblin leadership."

"That is good to know." Christiane said, "Can we assume that the case is closed?"

"With this new player in town who is calling himself 'The Venetian' I don't know if anything is really closed until we have him in custody."

Édouard turned his head away at the mention of the name. "If he had anything to do with this, I will make sure he answers for it." Édouard thought.

"Is she awake!?" a voice called from the hallway as a short witch with silver hair ran into the room. "Ma petite!" She yelled as she ran over to Christiane and gave her a long hug.

"Mama!" Christiane wheezed in the tight embrace of her mother.

The resemblance between Rene Lafont and her daughter Christiane Rene Partée was striking. The mother and daughter both had large brown eyes, smiles that created a dimple on only one cheek and an identical laugh. Édouard even witnessed Rene give Javert "the look" and it was nearly identical to the same look he would receive from Christiane when she was upset.

"Édouard, my son!" Rene shouted as she ran around the bed and gave him a large warm hug. She pulled away and looked at him, studying his face, "I heard about that awful attack, are you ok?"

"I am fine, thanks for asking." Édouard replied.

"But what about your hand?" She quickly said in shock as she held it up and examined the bandages.

"Just a mild burn."

"Well, I used to work two floors down in the pediatric wing so if you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask dear."

"Thank you."

"Mother?" Christiane asked.

"Yes dear?" she answered.

"Timothee.." Christiane began to ask but was quickly cut off.

"He is with your aunt Judy. A hospital is no place for a baby dear. He could end up with something terrible like Dragon Pox, Merlin forbid. I talked to your healers and they said you should be out by tomorrow and then you can see him."

Rene reached into her bag and began to pull out various sweets and a small cauldron with warm soup inside. "I brought you some chocolate frogs dear, I remember those were your favorite."

Christiane looked at her husband and whispered, "I haven't had those since my years at Beauxbatons."

Édouard smiled and placed a gentle hand on his wife's shoulder, "It's the thought that counts."

"I know," She smiled.

Édouard looked out to the hall window and saw a tall bouquet of Dirigible Plums making their way to the door. Entering the room, Édouard saw two small arms wrapped around a sienna planting pot with two small feet as they wobbling below.

"Vert!" Christiane greeted happily.

"Madam!" The high pitched elf voice called from behind the plant. "I brought these for you!"

"Oh poor dear can barely hold them!" Rene sighed. "Javert, take those from him Honey."

Javert leaned down and with one large hand, grabbed the plant from the small elf and placed them onto the bed stand.

The small elf jumped up onto the edge of the bed and walked towards Christiane with a large smile on his face, "I also brought you this!" he said excitedly as he pulled out a half finished bottle of butterbeer from his robes.

"But it's half finished?" Javert noted as he accepted the half empty bottle from Vert and placed it next to the floating orange fruits.

"I know monsieur," Vert said abashed as he adjusted his small black bowler cap, "I got kind of thirsty on my way over here."

Christiane and Rene let out a playful laugh while Édouard shook his head and thought to himself, "He's hooked. I should have never given that elf butterbeer."

"Now that you both are here," Javert said as his gaze moved from Vert to Édouard, "I just wanted to say that you both did an absolutely amazing job down in Gobbledegook. Not only did you save four of your fellow Aurors but you were responsible for helping to bring down a counterfeit ring that involved over a million galleons. Work like that does not go unnoticed and I want you to know that I have recommended you both for the Auror's Award of Heroic Bravery. I believe Minister Roy will fully agree with my decision."

"What an honor!" Vert shouted as he took off his cap and gave a deep bow.

"Thank you Javert." Édouard said, "That really does mean a lot to us."

"Well, keep up the good work," Javert said. He pulled back his sleeve and checked the time before making a sigh, "Unfortunately I have to head back to the ministry. I have to discuss the case with the English Minister. I will stop by to make sure everything is okay tomorrow and don't worry about work. It will be there when you are ready, just focus on getting healthy right now."

Javert kissed his daughter on the forehead and gave his wife kiss on the cheek. He turned to Édouard and Vert, giving them both a firm handshake before walking out of the hospital room.

Édouard, Rene and Vert remained in Christiane's room, enjoying the tasty pumpkin soup Rene had brought. The soup was sweet with a little bit of bite to it and it was all rounded out with bits of bacon. Both Vert and Édouard had seconds while Rene attempted to open one of the Chocolate Frogs which was able to evade her and hop out the room.

"Bad luck," Rene sighed before standing from her chair. She let out a long drawn out yawn before looking at the clock in the room. "Merlin's beard, is that the time?"

Édouard yawned as well as he stretched out his arms, "Yes, it is getting pretty late. I am surprised they haven't kicked us out of the room yet?"

Rene leaned over and winked at Édouard before saying, "The healers on this floor went to the same school as me." Turning to her daughter, "We will pick you up in the morning dear. Get some sleep."

Both Vert and Rene said their goodbyes leaving Édouard and Christiane in the room.

Alone in the room, Édouard looked at his wife who was smiling but was visibly tired as she look very long slow blinks.

"I guess it's time for me to go. I am going to go get Timothee from your aunt Judy. Get some rest mon amour," He suggested before leaning over and kissing his wife.

Christiane looked up at him, smiled, and gave his hand a soft squeeze as he slowly walked away. Her hand went to the small pendant that was over her heart and whispered softly "Thank you" as the lights went out in her room.


	3. Part 3

Chapter 23

The Egg

A few days had passed since the Battle of Gobbledegook City, as the newspapers dubbed it, and it seemed that even though a major case had been solved, more and more cases were starting to show up in the Auoror's department. Vert and Édouard found themselves flooded with more work but instead of the easy cases they were dealing with before, they were now being doled out some of the more challenging work. It was a sign that Javert was beginning to trust the pair but at the same time, it meant that they had to spend more hours at the ministry and less time at home.

Christiane had returned from the hospital the following day after the battle but decided it was best to take a few days off before returning to the department. When she did finally return, she was paired up with Marie Goulet since both their partners, Francois Rutan and Louis Geroux, were still recovering at St. Garicoits Hospital for Magical Maladies.

Édouard was sitting at his desk, writing up a case report late in the day while snacking on a crepe filled with ham, egg and cheese. He sat eating while dictating to a magical quill on his desk that scribbled away. Vert was also munching on a crepe that was bigger than his head that was filled with chocolate and strawberries. The small elf happily munched on his snack with a giant grin as he sipped on a butterbeer.

"I see you have already gotten diner," Christiane noted as she walked up to Édouard's desk. Her blonde hair was disheveled and her robes had long dirt streaks all over. She looked exhausted as her partner walked to her desk in the same rumpled shape.

Édouard handed his wife his crepe and she happily took a large bite from it and chewed lazily.

"What happened to you guys?" Édouard asked.

"Illegal imports again," She sighed, "Devil's Snare."

"Sounds rough." Édouard said.

Christiane let out another long sigh as she handed back the crepe and washed it down with some of the lemon water on Édouard's desk.

Édouard looked over at Marie's desk where she sat with her head down, "How's the new partner coming?"

"It's alright," Christiane sighed.

"Just alright?"

"I think we both feel guilty for what happened to our previous partners and so we have both become over protective of each other. It gets in the way sometimes and that's kind of the reason why we both ended up in the Devil's Snare. It's hard to trust someone you haven't work with before.

For instance, I worked wonderfully with you because I knew what you were thinking. I always knew what you were going to do next, as long as you brought a wand."

"Ha. Ha," Édouard said dryly.

Christiane smiled, "When I started working with Louis, there was a little bit of a learning curve but we both went to Beauxbatons so I kind of knew what training he received. Marie on the other hand went to Hogwarts and although I've worked with her, it was never alone. Compile that with the fact that I am worried about her getting hurt and my head is completely out of focus."

"I understand where you are coming from," Édouard sympathized. "There was a steep learning curve when it came to Vert and I working together. He performs elf magic and never went to wizarding school.

You guys have been through a lot lately. No one is expected to walk away from a near death experience and just be fine afterwards. It takes time."

"Very true," Christiane said, "How was your day?"

In unison both Édouard and Vert replied, "Illegal imports."

Édouard leaned forward and started to read the list off of his parchment, "Two Chimaera eggs, one Norwegian Ridgeback egg, a Hippocampus egg and one chicken egg."

"A chicken egg?" Christiane asked.

"A chicken egg!" Vert shouted as he held up the beige egg with pride. He had the chocolate of his crepe all around his mouth.

Christiane looked at the egg before looking back at her husband, "You let him keep it?"

Édouard shrugged, "The witch from beast division assured me it was a chicken egg. Vert wanted it, so I let him keep it."

"Why a chicken egg?"

"Maybe they thought it was something else?" Édouard guessed before polishing off the last of his crepe.

Christane stood up and attempted to pat down her frizzled blonde hair, "You know, ever since that day with the dragon, we have been getting a lot of strange creatures coming into France. Half the time I wonder if people know how dangerous some of these creatures are."

"I agree. What is a witch or wizard going to do with a chimaera?" Édouard said in amazement, "Even the witch at beast division was nervous when she saw it. It's a class 5 creature that can't be tamed. She was telling me that only one wizard has ever killed one. I don't even want to imagine what it would be like if an adult was let loose in the city."

Christiane shuttered at the thought as she thumbed her wedding band, "Alright, I am headed back to pick up Timothee from my mother. What time do you think you will be home tonight?"

"I should be done after this report," Édouard estimated

"Édouard," Javert's voice called as he walked over and placed a new file on Édouard's growing stack in the corner, "An owl just came in from a shop called 'Jean-Pierre's Magical Items' in Sang Roi Alley. Shop owner claims someone sold him an egg that he can't identify. He requested you and Vert personally. Beast Division is closed so just bring it in and drop it off at their drop box for unidentified eggs."

"Another one of those," Édouard thought. Ever since the Battle of Gobbledegook, Édouard and Vert were receiving more and more personal requests for cases. Vert had gained some notoriety as being "the first Auror elf" which in turn intrigued many wizards and witches to request his help. Although many of the pure bloods looked down on Vert, including their house-elves, there was still a large group in the magical community that supported his advancement.

Javert turned to his daughter, "Good work with the Devil's Snare. I'll need that report for the minister by the end of tomorrow." Javert turned and walked away as he headed over to another Auror's desk to place a new case on it.

Édouard let out a deep breath as he pulled the file from the corner of his desk and began to scan it, "Looks like I might not get home until late."

"I'll leave dinner on the table if you get hungry later," Christiane said as she gave her husband a kiss on the cheek and walked towards Marie's desk.

"Ready to go Vert?" Édouard asked, standing from his desk.

The Auror elf opened a cabinet drawer to his miniature desk and stuffed the half eaten crepe and his chicken egg into it. He wiped the chocolate off of his face with his fingers and sucked them clean. Looking up at Édouard with his big green eyes, he gave him a confident nod.

Sang Roi Alley was a long assortment of shops, restaurants and pubs. Wizards and Witches walked up and down the busy streets as they went about their daily business. Although it was later in the evening, the streets were still busy with commotion. Unlike in Gobbledegook City, which was primarily populated with goblins, Sang Roi Alley was primarily home to the business of witches and wizards.

Édouard and Vert came upon a small shop with a sign over top of a pocket watch, a key and a wand, all under a rainbow. The words, "Jean-Pierre's Magical Items" were printed over the entrance in green lettering.

"Well this is it," Édouard said as he walked up the steps and opened the door. A fat leprechaun in the corner of the shop yelled "guests!" before going back to his copy of Wizarding Weekly. They entered the shop which was cluttered with a miscellaneous assortment of items piled high in every direction. Most of the items were popular at one time or another but had fallen out of fashion usually due to their ineffectiveness. Édouard saw a 'Do it yourself Hairdo' which was a popular comb in the twenties and a 'Self cleaning Cauldron' which had created more house fires than actual clean cauldrons. Édouard quickly realized that Jean-Pierre's was a junk shop.

Upon hearing the ring of the leprechaun, an old wizard with long grey hair, half moon spectacles and a frumpy wizard's cap walked out from the back of the shop.

"Welcome, welcome!" The old wizard said as he turned to close the door behind him. He waddled as he walked behind the display counter of his shop. "I am Jean-Pierre, welcome to my shop of rare and magical items!" The old wizard waved a rainbow baton over his head but instead of an arc of light, he ended up casting purple sparks that rained down and singed his hat.

"Blasted thing," The wizard muttered as he smacked the baton against his display counter, "Never buy from the leprechauns."

Looking up, the old wizard adjusted his glasses as he studied the fleur de lis on Vert and Édouard's cloaks and asked, "Are you folks with the ministry?"

"Yes we are Monsieur Jean-Pierre. I am Auror Édouard Partée and this is my partner Auror Vert Partée. You requested our aid regarding an egg?"

"Ah, yes," The old man said nervously, "It was the most peculiar thing. A wizard came in with an egg that I did not recognize."

Édouard pulled out a small notepad and began to write down the shop keeper's testimony, "What did he want in exchange for the egg?"

"Well that is also a peculiar thing," The shop keeper answered, "He paid me ten galleons to take the egg and give it to you."

"Give it to the ministry or the magical creatures department?" Édouard asked, looking up from his notepad.

The shop keeper knelt down and grabbed a long slender cream egg that was about the size of a glasses case. "No, he told me to give it to you Édouard Partée."

Édouard looked up from his notepad and stared at Jean-Pierre. He looked down at his partner before looking back at the shop keeper. "Me?"

"Yes," Jean-Pierre said as he slid the egg across his counter towards the Auror.

Édouard examined the egg on the countertop carefully, wondering if it was cursed. He had seen the shop keeper handle it moments before with his bare hands and figured that it might be safe. Slowly reaching out his hand, he picked up the egg and found it to be surprisingly light. So light in fact that Édouard would go so far as to guess that the egg might be hollow.

The shopkeeper looked on in curiosity, no doubt due to the fact that he was also unsure what was in the egg. "What is it?"

"I am not quite sure," Édouard said slowly as he felt a small object slide around the hollow egg. The object felt heavy compared to the shell of the egg and as it slid from end to end, it significantly changed the weight distribution inside.

Édouard looked down to Vert, "Do you think I should open it?"

Vert shrugged his shoulders before giving a nod. He looked nervous as well but was also drawn forward by curiosity at the same time.

Placing the notepad on the shop counter, Édouard used two hands to pry into the egg. The shell made a loud crunch as his thumbs dug in deep, shattering the cream colored shell. Snapping the shell in two, Édouard peered inside the two halves. One half of the egg was empty, as he had expected but the other side had a gold coin in it, about the size of a galleon. In fact, it was a galleon.

Édouard slid the coin onto his palm. On one side was a dragon with the term "Unum Galleon" written on top while the other side of the galleon did not have a wizard, which was expected of such a coin, but instead there was a picture of a goblin.

"A galleon with a goblin," Édouard murmured to himself as he turned the coin in his hands.

"The Goblin's Galleon," Vert said.

"You're right." Édouard said before placing the coin into his pocket and picking his notepad back up. He looked at the old shop keeper who was clearly curious by the mysterious coin that had come out of the egg. "Thank you for your help Mr. Jean-Pierre but we must be going now."

"What was in that egg?" His old voice asked shakily.

"Nothing of major concern or danger," Édouard explained, "It's just a little trinket to an ongoing investigation at the ministry. With the sensitivity of the investigation, we would appreciate it if you kept this little encounter quiet."

"Oh, of course Mr. Partée, I am just glad that I was able to help the Aurors on their official duty." Jean-Pierre said. "If you see anything you like or need, I will give you a twenty-five percent discount. Consider it the Ministry price."

Édouard gave a slight bow before heading to the door, "That is very kind of you but we have to get going now."

"Well good luck! Don't forget to tell your friends about Jean-Pierre's Magical Items!" But as he waved his baton over head, green sparks rained down on him.

"Merci!" Édouard said and they were out the door. He could hear the wizard berating the lazy leprechaun that had sat in the corner for not welcoming his customers.

"Is it time Édouard?" Vert asked.

"I believe so."

Chapter 24

The Fort

Édouard and Vert apparated directly into the backroom of the Goblin's Galleon where they found Samuel and Nyima seated. Samuel was wearing his usual outfit of a button down shirt with a vest and slacks while Nyima's garb was significantly different. Instead of her red and gold monk's robe, she was wearing an American style of clothing that Édouard could only describe as "Hippie." She wore blue bell bottom jeans and a long white blouse with loose flowing sleeves. A brass necklace with a small peace sign dangled from her neck and she wore a red and gold cloth headband.

"Nyima, you look…" Édouard paused.

"American?" She asked.

"Very," He replied.

Samuel smiled as he stood to greet Édouard and Vert, "I introduced her to my seventh years at Salem. She is a little older than them but only by a year or two. They took her out for a weekend and she came back like this. I think she had a great time. The clothing is totally '_groovy_' or at least that is what they keep telling me. All my students have been obsessing over muggle culture this year. Everything seems to be flowers or tie dye."

Nyima smiled, "His students and I promised to write each other."

"Madam, how was America?" Vert said as he studied her clothing in awe. Vert and Nyima began to converse about her trip, giving Samuel and Édouard a chance to talk in private. They walked to the other side of the backroom pub so that they would not be overheard.

"She seems more talkative." Édouard observed.

"Ever since she was able to hang out with people her own age, she seems to have opened up," Samuel said, "She was the youngest person in that temple by a good thirty years."

"Why did she join so young?"

"She lost her parents to a yeti attack. They were muggles and had no magical ability to fight it off. It nearly took her as well. She remembers that when it came for her, she held up her hands and there was a white flash. The yeti was gone but so was her eyesight. She wandered blind into the cold snow and nearly died until she was saved by Moon, Khor'ba's white phoenix. They took her in and tried to heal her but vision is a tricky thing and a phoenix will rarely give up its tears. Eventually they discovered her magical ability and offered to teach her."

Édouard shook his head, "They need better regulations on those Yetis, too many encounters with muggles every year."

There was a pause in the conversation before Édouard reached into his pocket and pulled out the goblin galleon and held it up.

"Clever right?" Samuel said with a subtle sense of pride. "I put a tracking spell in each one of them so that if we get lost in the Vault, we can find our way back to each other."

"Good thinking," Édouard admitted.

"That's not all," Samuel explained, "I brought half a dozen antidotes, three different healing potions, magical wraps and some magical items that can be useful depending on the situation."

"Good to know."

"Hey, what did you think of the egg?"

"I was nervous at first. You have no idea what wizards and witches have been trying to smuggle into France lately. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Samuel said.

"The number of cases that have been coming into our ministry has nearly tripled in the last month and the attack in Gobbledegook was the first time that the crime turned violent. Generally it has been a lot of illegal creatures and objects being smuggled into the country but I am worried that it will start to escalate. Do you think this Venetian has anything to do with it?"

Samuel contemplated Édouards question before answering, "I know that he deals with the trade of illegal items. That is how I was able to convince him to help us. Why he has stayed in France, I do not know. I wouldn't be surprised if he was linked to what was going on in your country. He is a part of the Diadochi, which are a very old and powerful group of wizarding families from the Mediterranean. They have operated out of that part of the world for nearly two millennia. Maybe The Venetian was pushed out of his territory or maybe there wasn't any competition in France to rival his trade. Either way, getting him out could only benefit you."

Édouard gave a nod before he heard a loud "pop" near the bar.

Oliver had arrived and he was holding up one of the goblin galleons, "Very clever mate."

"Keep it," Samuel suggested as they group came together at the table.

The bartender looked on, "You wizards want butterbeers?"

"We aren't staying for long Wolfy," Samuel called back, "but maybe later."

The werewolf bartender let out a low muttering growl before he went back to reading his newspaper.

"He loves that name," Samuel joked.

Samuel pulled out a long roll of parchment from his letterman's bag and unrolled it onto the table. It was a picture of Benedict Arnold's replica Fort West Point. "I took this picture two nights ago. It is the exact same fort in the paintings. It has a tall outer wall, one set of barracks, stables, parade grounds and a center headquarters. I think the vault will be in the headquarter building.

The real fort was converted into a muggle military college and it looks nothing like this replica anymore. The replica itself actually resides in a history classroom of the original headquarter building. I tried to move it the other night and it wouldn't budge so we are going to have to go to West Point."

"Did you go inside the replica?" Oliver asked.

"I didn't want to perform the shrinking spell without knowing the proper counter spell. But the magical presence around that table is pretty powerful. I felt a few strong wards surrounding it."

"Do you think it is safe?" Édouard asked.

"We won't know until we are inside," Samuel answered.

Édouard began to think of the time zones and realized a potential dilemma, "If we leave now, it will still be late afternoon over there. Don't we have to worry about being seen?"

"Yes we would." Samuel answered. "But we are going to shrink here first and then I will apparate us straight to the replica. As long as no one is looking directly at it, we should be ok."

Oliver stood from the table with an excited look on his face, "Well, what are we waiting for chaps. Let's go get some loot!"

Standing from the table, the group joined hands and formed a circle.

"I need you guys as tight as possible," Édouard ordered as he pulled out his wand and held it over the group. As everyone got shoulder to shoulder, he casted his spell and slowly brought his wand towards the floor. It looked as if the walls of the room were growing taller and taller as the ceiling got farther away. The furniture was growing all around them as the table, which was originally at their waste, came up to their chest and eventually passed over their head. Sounds seemed louder as the small creeks of the floor board became started to echo. By the time Édouard's wand tip touched the ground, they were all no taller than a golden snitch.

Vert was amazed as he looked around the giant room, "Wow!"

"We better get moving," Samuel said nervously, "I don't think getting stepped on will be a good way to end the day."

"Good point," Édouard noted, "Everyone join hands."

"Wait." Oliver declared, "Can we apparate when we are this small?"

"Yes," Samuel answered. "Édouard and I have already done it."

"Well then," Oliver said hesitantly, "Here we go!"

The Wizards, the witch and the elf were all transported to the parade grounds of the replica fort. Tall wooden walls surrounded them in every direction as a large headquarters building stood before them. A loud voice echoed throughout the room like an announcer's voice at a stadium, as it described the political components of the Louisiana Purchase. All around them a white coating similar to morning frost covered the ground in every direction.

Vert knelt to one knee and ran his hand across the ground. When he pulled it back up it was covered in the white substance. "It's dust"

Samuel pulled out his wand and pointed to the officer's headquarters which was a large grey stone mansion, "The entrance is right in that building."

As they approached the large mansion, the true detail of the building came to life. Instead of model walls painted to look like stone, the walls were actually made of grey stone. The metal work, the mortar holding the wall together, and the glass in the window frames, were all real.

Nyima watched a black horse in the stable as it stood still. She was unsure if it was real or not until it let out a low whinny and shook its head.

Samuel walked up to a large black set of double doors and slowly pushed one open. The door let out a long creaking sound as it opened. Tan colored soot trickled down from the top of the door as it swung completely open.

"Here we go," Samuel said.

"One second," Édouard interjected.

Nyima looked around, "What is it?"

"We are taught a pretty good system in the Auror's department," Édouard explained. "When we go in and from here on out, we need to move in a diamond. It allows us to cover all directions."

Samuel, Oliver and Nyima nodded their head in agreement while Vert tipped his bowler.

"Samuel takes point, Oliver and Nyima take the flanks while I cover the rear and Vert takes center."

They arranged themselves accordingly before following Samuel through the front door of the stone mansion and found themselves in a grand foyer. It was dark inside and the large grandiose room looked as if it had not been visited in a very long time. Wispy grey cobwebs draped down from the tall brass chandeliers and a heavy layer of white dust covered every surface. Rows of elaborate Corinthian columns lined either end of the foyer with ancient white marble statues in-between each pillar.

Édouard lit his wand and looked up at the ceiling. He saw a series of large elaborate frescos of legendary witches and wizards of the previous ages. Even with close to two hundred years, the colors of the paintings were still as vivid as the day they were made.

"He really spared no expense," Édouard realized.

Samuel pointed his lit wand towards the end of the foyer where an large black iron door stood. "This way," he ordered. The heel of his dress shoe clacked against the marble floor as they walked in near silence.

"Monsier," Vert said as he tugged on Édouard's blue robes.

"Yes Vert?" He answered.

Vert pointed to the only two marble statues that stood side by side. It was a male and female and they both made impressive figures. Their gaze was determined as they peered off into eternity with their wands held at their side. At the base of the statue, the names "Apollo Partée" and "Diane Partée" were inscribed into the stone.

"One of my twin ancestors," Édouard said as he looked down at Vert, "They were more famous than the first twins in the family, Castor and Pollux."

"You have family in here?" Oliver asked.

Édouard shook his head in confirmation as he pointed to the statues.

"Well you come from better stock than me."

"Keep sharp," Samuel scolded, "We don't know if Arnold put any traps in here for intruders."

As they got closer to the door, the statues that lined the foyer grew in reputation. These included Merlin, Morgana le Fay, Godric Gryffindor, Cornelius Agrippa, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin.

"This is quite the collection and we haven't even gotten to the good stuff," Oliver murmured.

They came to the large black iron door at the end of the foyer where the word "Amans" was inscribed in a very decorative fashion. The door was fifteen feet tall with thousands of hammer marks, creating a black sea of rippling waves. There was no doorknob or ring to open the door which made it look like a giant metal slab in the wall. Above the door was an inscription which read, "He who finds himself unworthy must simply speak 'Domus Reversio' and shall be sent back."

"Well that is reassuring," Oliver noted.

"There is no going back," Samuel barked, "Not for me at least. Are we ready?" Looking around the group he saw that, Oliver had pulled out his spoon while Nyima held her walnut staff with a phoenix core in both hands. Édouard gripped his cherry dragon heartstring wand in his right hand while Vert had both hands out and ready to cast. They looked nervous but ready for whatever they faced on the other side. "Remember that he named this part of his vault 'The Lover.' I don't know how this will apply to his wards he has in place but I'm sure we can figure it out."

Samuel reached out to press the door open but as soon as his hands made contact with the black iron door, he disappeared with a hiss.

"Bloody hell!" Oliver gasped.

"Quickly Oliver, you next," Édouard ordered.

Oliver's head shot around with a nervous expression, "I don't know where he's gone!"

"He will need us!" Nyima yelled, pushing Oliver out of the way and pressing her hand to the door, disappearing instantaneously.

"Here goes nothing," Oliver gulped and touched the door with one extended finger and was gone.

Édouard and Vert both walked up to the towering black iron door side by side. Édouard's eyes scanned the carved inscription one last time before looking down into the big green eyes of his partner.

"You ready?" He asked.

"For Family," Vert answered.

"For Family," Édouard repeated as he raised his hand. They touched the black door together and vanished from the foyer.

Chapter 25

Amans

Édouard and Vert still had their hands extended in the air when they found themselves instantaneously transported to the rest of the group. The darkness was blinding except for the blue glow that was created by small clusters of bioluminescent mushrooms that were scattered about. Clouds of breath billowed from their mouths as they lit their wands. The light they casted caused hundreds of small shimmers of light to twinkle in the darkness in every direction like stars in the night sky.

"Where are we?" Édouard asked as his head looked around.

"It looks like we are in some kind of cave system." Samuel answered with his wand held high.

Samuel spun in a slow circle as he studied the small iridescent sparkles in the black cavernous void, "Must be crystals."

Vert knelt down and picked up one of the small glowing mushrooms and was about to put it in his mouth when Oliver put a hand on his shoulder, "You don't want to be doing that. No telling what a mushroom like that can do to a bloke."

Vert shook his head before calmly storing the mushroom into a pocket of his black Auror's robes.

Nyima lowered her lit staff and found an iron arrow pointing down the cavern, "This way."

Following the arrow, they walked in silence in a diamond formation as they followed what they guessed to be the right direction.

"I don't want to scare anyone," Oliver said slowly, "But do you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Vert asked.

"Well it can't be you this time Vert," Oliver explained, "But I hear a scratching sound."

"A scratching sound?" Édouard inquired.

"Like little legs," Oliver said wearily as his eyes scanned the darkness. There was nothing but mushrooms and iridescent lights.

"I hear it too." Nyima added.

"Well, keep your eyes open," Samuel ordered at the front of the group. "If you see anything, point it out to the rest of the group."

Édouard was walking in back when he began to hear the scratching sound as well. Turning around, he saw that the small glimmering light was no longer only on the ceiling and walls but was now on the trail that they had just come from. "That's strange," He thought but then realized that the small glimmering lights were getting closer at an alarming rate. "Guys!" Édouard called.

"Everyone get close!" Nyima shouted as she made her way into the center of the group and raised her staff high into the air. Yelling out an incantation, she hit the floor with the bottom of her staff causing the cave to light up as if it were day.

To everyone's horror the small iridescent glimmers of light weren't reflections form crystals but the reflected light from black beady eyes. Black beady eyes that were in sets of eight!

"Acromantulas!" Édouard shouted in terror as the large grey and blue spiders came rushing in from every direction.

Vert let out a terrified cry as he took a step behind Édouard.

The Acromantulas had large furry pewter colored bodies with long cobalt blue legs. They ranged in size from a large dog to a Volkswagen beetle. Their long black fangs snapped together to make a skin crawling cracking sound as their hairy legs scratched against the stone floor. They rushed the wizards at a blazing speed as they came from hundreds of smaller tunnels that branched off from the main cavern.

A particularly large Acromantula reared up on its hind legs and displayed is pink mouth with fangs the size of walrus tusks.

"Arania Exumai!" Samuel shouted as he hit the spider with a charm. The large hairy creature was blasted back as its' legs crumpled underneath its body, "One down!" Samuel whispered nervously.

"Everyone get back to back!" Édouard shouted as he blasted a spider with a curse.

Oliver casted a large blue ethereal fist from his spoon and sent it hurtling through the oncoming arachnids. The blue fist left a mess of splattered blue blood and hairy mangled legs in its wake.

Vert shook with terror as he blasted the hairy beasts away. They were bigger than he was and would no doubt make a quick snack of him if given the chance.

They casted over and over, repelling the avalanche of furry bodies but it was obvious that if they didn't do something quick, they would be quickly overrun.

Samuel made a violent slashing motion with his wand and three massive Acromantulas were diced to ribbons. He turned back to the group and began to shout "We need to find the…" but before he could finish, an Acromantula the size of a great dane landed on his back forcing him to the ground. There was a sickening crunch as the large hooked fangs dug deep into his back. Samuel let out a painful scream of anguish as he was pinned to the floor.

"Confringo!" Édouard casted, blasting the Acromantula off of Samuel in a ball of flame. The other arachnids gave the burning corps a wide berth as they charged in. Upon seeing this, Édouard shouted, "They fear fire!"

"Fire," Nyima whispered as she raised her staff over the group. Looking up, she watched as dozens of pink fanged mouths descended from the ceilings by thick white strands of silk.

"Incendio Tempesta!" Nyima shrieked as she waved her staff in a large arc over the group. Yellow and red flames spewed from the end of her long staff like dragons breath. She encased the entire group in a protective dome of golden inferno as it consumed everything around them.

Those Acromantulas fast enough to get out of the way retreated back into their caves while the ones caught in the flames were flash fried. Their bodies hissed, sizzled and popped as their legs curled and the burnt hair generated a putrid smell. By the time the ring of fire had subsided, the large cavern was littered with charred black carcasses.

"Samuel!" Édouard yelled as he knelt down to his friend's motionless body. Two large bloody puncture marks in his upper back, the size of fists, oozed a smelly white substance.

"Ed!" Oliver called with distress in his voice.

Looking up, Édouard watched as the round beady black eyes returned to the tunnel entrances leading back to the main cavern. They hissed, clicked their fangs and reared up exposing their pink fleshy mouths in aggression.

"We need to get going!" Édouard shouted as he slung one of Samuel's arms over his shoulder,  
"Oliver, help me carry Samuel. Vert, and Nyima, try and keep these cursed creatures at bay!"

Édouard and Oliver heaved Samuel up to his feet and began to carry him down the cavern with his feet dragging along the ground. Samuel let out a low groan of pain as his bowed head bounced with every step. Nyima and Vert did their best to stave off the second wave of Acromantulas as the hissing creatures scurried towards them in a stampede of blue and grey fur.

They rounded a bend in the cave and came upon what looked like a rock face carved into the head of a giant serpent. Inside the mouth, they saw a chamber where another black iron door stood.

"I see it!" Édouard shouted as they ran towards the large open mouth of the carved serpent.

Nyima's staff was now a firey blaze of orange and red as she swung it this way and that, sending out torrents of flame. The spiders were fearful of the flame and followed the wizards wearily, always retreating out of reach of the flame as it came towards them. Once in a while, one of the Acromantulas would get bold and charge through the fire at them and Vert would have to blast the burning spider away.

Nyima knew that if all the Acromantulas were to rush in at the same time, they would find themselves overpowered. Fear was the true tool that she was harnessing from the flame.

Vert looked up saw a rather fat Acromantula that was descending from the ceiling just above Édouard, Oliver and Samuel. The massive creature's legs danced eagerly as it got closer and closer. "Stay away from my family!" Vert shouted before he raised his hands and blasted the spider across the cave.

They reached the chamber in the mouth of the giant stone serpent not a moment too soon. Turning around with his cherry dragon wand extended, Édouard casted, "Protego!" blocking off the entrance to the chamber with his shield spell. There were loud thuds as the hairy arachnids charged the invisible force field over and over before rearing up and showing their dagger like fangs in contempt.

They carried Samuel over to the black iron door with the word "Sapiens" hammered into the metal and pressed their palms against it but nothing happened. They tried again, only this time they banged their palm against the door and still they were not transported away. Taking a step back, they looked over the top of the large black door and the word, "Sacrifice" was written on top in large red lettering.

"Let's set him down mate, my shoulders are killing me," Oliver winced. His chest heaved as he breathed heavily in an attempt to catch his wind. He watched with a grim expression as the Acromantulas violently vied for a chance to charge the shield spell, "How long will it hold?"

"Not long. We need to find a way to the next chamber," Édouard answered.

Nyima ran over to Samuel who was laying face first on the ground and dug into his brown leather letterman's bag. She reached in all the way to the shoulder before finding what she was looking for and pulled out a large brown eagle's feather.

"I've seen Sam use that before," Oliver noted in-between breathes, "Back in Gobbledegook when a goblin had cursed him."

Nyima took the feather and waved it back and forth over the two fleshy puncture wounds. A golden smoke poured from the feather and began to fill the fist sized holes in Samuel's back. "It's a magical Native American healing feather. I don't know if it will stop the poison but at least it will close the wounds."

Vert walked over and tugged on Édouards black robes. Édouard looked down at the elf who was pointing at a silver handled bell resting on a four foot black marble pillar.

"That's it! Great job Vert!" Édouard said as he gave the house-elf a gentle pat on the top of his bowler cap.

"That's what?" Oliver asked as he walked over to the pillar.

"This is somehow the key to the next chamber," Édouard answered as he squatted down to get eye level with the silver bell. "Do we lift the handle?"

There was a loud popping sound as the shield at the door started to flicker and fade. One of the Acromantulas was able to get a hairy blue leg through the ethereal wall. The leg thudded around violently in the chamber before disappearing back on the other side of the spell.

Oliver pointed his silver spoon at the entrance to the chamber as Nyima stood to her feet with her staff in hand. "Whatever you're gonna do Ed, you better do it soon."

Édouard looked down over at Vert who gave him a nod of encouragement. Raising his hand to the silver handle, Édouard wrapped his fingers around the cold metal and pulled up. There was a heavy tension on the bell as it slowly raised from the pillar.

A harsh raspy voice echoed throughout the chamber as if coming from the bell, "Shhhhhhiiiiiaaaasssseeeetthhhh hhheeeeesssseeerrrooootthhhh sheeeeaaaaasssseeetttthhhhh."

Oliver and Nyima looked around the chamber as the hissing words came from every direction. There was a slight tremor in the ground as the grinding of stone echoed throughout the cavern walls.

"Was that Parseltongue? Oliver asked.

"Look," Vert said as he pointed to the chamber entrance that had been teaming with Acromantulas only a second before. "They are leaving."

"Would you look at that," Oliver laughed, "We might get a break after all."

Édouard looked back at the pillar, where he had removed the bell, and found a long pale brown dagger shaped fang protruding from its base.

"It's silent," Vert noticed.

Just then, there was a loud billowing roar that echoed throughout the cavern.

"Spiders flee before it," Nyima whispered as she closed her almond shaped eyes. She quieted her mind and focused all her energy on listening. It was subtle at first but slowly grew louder and louder. It sounded as if something massive was being dragged along the floor.

"No, not dragged," she thought, "it was the sound of something slithering."

Taking off her red and gold sweat soaked headband, Nyima proceeded to use it to blindfold herself.

"What are you doing?" Édouard asked.

"Whatever you do Mr. Partée, do not look out of this room. Find the way to get everyone to the next chamber. Only then, call out for me to join you."

"What's going on?" Oliver questioned with a look of unease.

"The mortal enemy of the phoenix is coming. Where the phoenix is a symbol of life, this creature is a symbol of death. Its eyes can kill with a single glance and its fangs are twice as deadly. What I speak of is the mighty Basilisk," Nyima said reverently. "I will do my best to hold it off."

Tapping her staff once against the stone ground, she gained a mental image of her surroundings by the echoes of the sound waves. Her blindness had armed her with the tools necessary for this very situation and she accepted her potential fate willingly as she stepped back into the cavern. The sounds of scurrying legs were now replaced by the deep throaty hiss of the massive snake as it approached in the dark. It was less than fifty yards away by her estimate as it closed on her quickly.

Pulling out a red phoenix feather from her back pocket, Nyima held it to her mouth and whispered a soft incantation. Taking in a large breath, she exhaled with all her might blowing the feather out of her hand. The feather let out a low humming pressure wave as a blinding white light exploded out. It was like a sustained camera flash, so bright that it overpowered the visual sense.

Édouard, Oliver and Vert held their hands to their eyes as the light created a white beam through the door to the chamber. They heard the Basilisk let out a menacing roar as the fight began. Loud explosions and roars went back and forth as the ground trembled underneath their feet.

"We can't expect her to hold that thing off forever. How do we open that door?" Oliver asked.

Édouard studied the fang carefully before looking back at the door. "Amans is The Lover."

"Ok…" Oliver said, "Where are you going with this?"

"Khor'ba said 'A lover is he or she who is able to sacrifice the betterment of themselves for whom they love most.' And written over the door is the word sacrifice."

"Go on…"

"Well, I think one of us will need to make a blood sacrifice in order for the rest of us to get through that door."

"A blood sacrifice?" Vert said shakily.

Oliver examined the pillar, "Are we supposed to use this basilisk fang to get this blood sacrifice?"

Édouard shook his head, "I think that is why it is here."

Oliver took a step back from the pillar with his hands extended, "Count me out mate! You heard Nyima, that thing is pretty much instant death!"

"Look, I don't like this any more than you but this is what has to be done!" Édouard snapped back.

Oliver grabbed Édouard by the shirt and pushed him back against a wall, "And what if you are wrong? What if this is some kind of trick to get some sorry prat to off himself before ever getting to the loot? I have someone depending on me too! I can't die down here in some dingy cave!"

Their attention was diverted by a large bang outside of the chamber followed by a deafening roar by the basilisk. They still couldn't see into the blinding white light but they felt the ground shake as a loud crashing sound echoed in the cavern.

Édouard looked back to Oliver, "Do you think we can afford to think of something else? Let me do it, it's my idea."

Oliver stared into Édouard's blue and green eyes, with a hard expression on his face. His mind went back and forth as he struggled with the decision. Slowly releasing his grip on Édouard's shirt, he took a step out of the way. "Good luck," he whispered.

Édouard nodded before taking a step towards the pillar and stopped. "No," he thought as he looked at the scarlet drops of blood that dripped from the tip of the fang. Turning to the door, he saw Vert extend his hand towards the door. There was a bleeding red cut along the small palm of the house-elf.

"Vert!" Édouard shouted.

The small elf turned his head toward Édouard and gave a feeble grin. "For family," He whispered and pressed his palm to the door and disappeared.

Édouard ran to the black iron door to go after vert. Pressing his hand to the metal door, he disappeared from the stone chamber.

"It's open," Oliver thought aloud. He ran over to Samuel and slung his bag over his shoulder before picking up the downed wizard and carrying him to the door. "Nyima! It's open!" He screamed from the top of his lungs into the bright light before raising his hand and pressing it to the door. With a sharp hiss, he disappeared from the chamber.

Chapter 26

Sapiens

Oliver found himself in a new dark room that was eerily quiet compared to the previous chamber. He watched as Édouard held the limp body of his freed house-elf in his arms. Feeling an ache in his shoulder, he lowered Samuel to the ground and rested him on his back.

Samuel's face was pale with large beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. Letting out a low moan, Samuel's head rolled to one side as he took short labored breaths.

"Hang on there," Oliver whispered as he dabbed the wizard's sweaty forehead. Standing to his feet, he walked over to Édouard, who was cradling Vert's body in his arms. The small bowler cap of the elf rested on the ground next to him.

"He just collapsed," Édouard said in a somber tone.

"He was brave," Oliver replied, "The bravest creature I have ever met."

There was a whirring sound over Samuel's shoulder just before Nyima appeared in the room. She was out of breath as she pulled the blindfold off of her head and leaned against her staff. One of her sleeves of her blouse was torn from the elbow down to her wrist as a steady trickle of blood dripped down her hand. Her jeans were also ripped near the knee and a dark maroon liquid soaked the denim.

"What happened?" She asked as she took a step towards the two wizards huddled over the elf.

"It's Vert," Édouard answered solemnly. "He sacrificed himself with the basilisk fang so that we could get through the door."

"Why is he still breathing?" Nyima observed.

Édouard looked down at the elf, "Well, I imagine the poison is working its way though his body."

"Not with a true basilisk fang," Nyima observed, "If he had basilisk venom in his small body, he wouldn't have made it to the door before dropping dead."

Then, to Édouard's alleviation, he watched as Vert opened one large green eye and looked around the room, "I am not dead Madam?"

"It appears not to be so," Oliver said with a smile growing on his face. He grabbed the elf's black bowler cap from the ground and placed it back on Vert's head.

Édouard was so overjoyed that he hugged Vert in his arms and said, "I thought I had lost you, my friend."

"For family," Vert replied.

Oliver stood to his feet and turned to face Nyima who looked quite battered.

Nyima limped over to Samuel and observed the wizard, "How is he doing?"

"The Acromantula venom is taking its' toll on him, if we don't get him to a hospital in the next hour I imagine it could turn bad." Oliver explained. "How are you holding up?"

Nyima pulled out the eagle feather that she had used on Samuel earlier and began to wave it over her wounds. "I should be ok. Where are we?"

"I'm not too sure." Oliver said as he looked around in the dark. "Lumos!" He casted, causing not only did his spoon to light up but a series of torches around the room to also ignite. Oliver tucked his spoon away as he looked around the room, "It must have been a ward."

The room they found themselves in was made of stone bricks similar to the lodgings of a medieval castle. There were no windows or doors leading to the outside world and the room was no larger than a dining hall of a large house. The walls were baron and there was no iron door in sight. In the center of the room was a long stone platform that ran all the way to the wall with green velvet cloth running along the sides. At the far end of the platform was a large gold framed mirror that hung on the wall.

"That's strange," Édouard said as he helped Vert to his feet. He began to wave a hand in the air.

"What is it?" Oliver asked.

"Well, in the book of magical items, there is a picture of a wizard standing in a corridor," Édouard said, as he studied the mirror at the other end of the room, "At first I thought it was a wizard standing in a doorway but now I would guess that it is a wizard's reflection. The only problem is that this mirror doesn't seem to show any of us in the room."

Both Oliver and Nyima turned to the mirror and noticed that they didn't show up no matter where they stood. It was eerie not to see one's own reflection in the mirror. It felt as if the reflective surface had a sentient quality. Like it knew that they were there and yet it still refused to show them in the room.

"Monsieur Édouard I found something!" Vert said on the other side of the platform.

The other wizards walked over and found a stone statue lying on the floor. The platform had hid the statue which looked to be that of an older wizard with a terrified look on his face. The statues body looked as if it had frozen mid fall. For some reason, the face of the old man looked familiar to Édouard, yet he could not remember where he had seen it before.

"Gives me the creeps," Oliver shuttered.

"Do you know what that platform reminds me of?" Édouard asked.

"What?" Oliver replied.

"A dueling platform," Nyima answered.

"Exactly," Édouard said, "Our dueling club at Pursang had a long table just like this one only it had baby blue fringe instead of green."

"So we are going to have to duel someone?" Oliver wondered aloud.

"This stage was called Sapiens which means The Wise man," Édouard recalled, "What did Khor'ba say about it? Do you remember Nyima?"

Nyima paused as the words slowly trickled to the forefront of her memory, "A wise man is a humble man. He is mindful of himself and he is mindful of the world around him. To truly know your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses is the gift of the wise."

"So what does that have to do with us fighting a mirror?" Oliver said impatiently.

"I don't think we will be fighting a mirror Oliver, I think we will be fighting ourselves." Nyima explained.

"I bet you anything that the next door is behind that mirror," Édouard surmised.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Oliver said as he took a step onto the platform.

Édouard tried to tell him to wait but it was too late. There was a small shudder throughout the room as the magical ward had been activated. The surface of the mirror rippled like a stone being dropped in a pond before a mercuric being stepped out of the mirror. Slowly the reflective surface melted away from the human figure, revealing an exact copy of Oliver.

"So, I have to beat you in order to get to the next stage?" Oliver said playfully. He seemed excited by the prospect of dueling himself. Although the copy did not say any words, its movements mirrored Oliver's playful expression.

"No hard feelings mate. Although I must say you look quite dashing," Oliver said as he pulled out his silver spoon wrapped with werewolf whisker and whispered an incantation. A large ghost like fist was generated and hummed as Oliver controlled it like his own hand. The copy did the same, as it too had casted a large ethereal fist.

Édouard's head looked back and forth between the copy and the original as he noticed that they had casted the same spell. "Oliver, I don't think you should…" But before Édouard could finish his thought, Oliver hurled the fist down the platform towards his clone. At the same time, the clone fired his curse towards Oliver. The two large glowing fists passed through each other and hit their respective targets on the other side. The clone of Oliver was hit square in the chest and was blasted off of its feet. The clone traveled right back into the mirror which absorbed the copy and rippled. Oliver, on the other hand, was hit by what could only be described as a mountain of energy. He fired off of the platform like a bullet towards the stone wall behind him.

"No!" Nyima shouted as she turned her head away but instead of the bone curdling crunch she had expected to hear, there was the loud crack of stone on stone. Turning back to look she found a stone statue of Oliver resting on the ground with a silver spoon still in hand.

"He would have died if he didn't turn into stone," Édouard said with a worried look on his face. "Why couldn't he just have waited so that we could come up with a reasonable solution?"

"In his failure, we have learned a lot." Nyima whispered as she raised her staff into the air and hit it against the ground. Her stylish muggle clothing was instantly transformed back into her traditional monk's garb. "It is a rebounding mirror. Whatever you cast, the mirror will rebound back at you twice as strong."

"So how do we defeat it?" Édouard asked.

"Like Khor'ba said, we must know ourselves." She answered as she handed Édouard her staff and took a step onto the fighting platform.

A silver being took a step out of the mirror's surface and stood in a ready stance as the liquid slipped away, revealing an exact copy of Nyima in her red and gold monks robes.

"If I cannot use magic, then my copy cannot use magic," She whispered to herself before taking off her headband and wrapping it around her head, "If I am blind, then my copy will be twice as blind."

Nyima slapped her foot on the stone platform creating a long reverberating echo. It was impressive how she gained a perfect mental image of the room from the sound alone.

Steadying her breathing, Nyima whispered, "Know thyself," before charging down the platform at a dead sprint. She met her copy at the center of the platform and began to engage in hand to hand combat. Her hands moved at a blinding speed as she threw punches and parried attacks.

Édouard and Vert were amazed at the combination of raw power and agility as she engaged her clone with such ferocity. Punches, kicks and more punches continued to fly through the air but to Édouard's disbelief, it looked as if the mirrored copy was just a hair faster. For every two blows that Nyima landed, her copy landed three.

Nyima fired a round house kick which caused the clone to duck and counter with a rising uppercut. Sensing the incoming blow, Nyima transferred the momentum of her kick into a leg sweep which cleared the clone off of its feet. There was a loud smack as the clone landed on its back.

"She's got it!" Vert shouted excitedly.

Nyima pulled back her leg to fire a kick to launch the copy off of the dueling platform. Her leg fired forward with blinding speed but to Édouard's disbelief, the clone caught Nyima's foot with its hands and gave Nyima's ankle a sharp twist. Nyima let out a sharp piercing shriek of pain as the bones in her ankle made an audible "Snap!"

It felt as if it was happening in slow motion as Nyima clutched her ankle and fell backwards off of the edge of the platform. Like an invisible field on the edge of the dueling platform, her body transformed into cold stone as it hit the ground with a loud thud.

Édouard's heart sank as he looked upon his fallen friend.

"No!" Vert cried as he watched the stone statue of Nyima slowly rock on the floor to a stop. The face of the statue was in pure anguish as it clutched its mangled ankle. The copy of Nyima lying on the platform turned to Édouard, lifted its blindfold, and winked before melting into a silver mercuric puddle. The metallic puddle was absorbed back into the mirrored surface and the surface gave a slight quiver before resting calm again.

Édouard and Vert stood in the silence of the room as they gazed upon the dueling platform with a nervous fear, not knowing what they should do next. The three stone statues around the table stood as a constant reminder of the failed attempts that preceded them. Two of which they had witnessed just moments earlier.

Vert took a step towards the platform.

"No," Édouard said in a low calm voice. "Let me go"

Édouard reached out and took the elf's small hand and gently flipped it up so that he could see the long red cut and said, "For Family."

Vert looked up at Édouard, the fear ever present in his expression, "But monsieur…"

Édouard took off his Auror's robes and said, "If I should fall Vert, get Samuel out of here and tell The Venetian what has happened," He began to unbutton his shirt and roll back his sleeves, "Under no circumstances should the ministry be alerted as to what has happened here."

Vert nodded his head and watched as Édouard climbed onto the platform.

Édouard felt a strange familiarity standing on the stone platform. It reminded him of his days at Pursang. He watched as his copy emerged from the mirror, his heart stopped as the clone reminded him of his twin brother, Lestat. The clone even had the same mischievous grin that his brother would make.

Édouard remembered his brother and all the duels they had fought and all the adventures they had shared before it finally struck him, "I know what to do."

Pulling out his wand, Édouard watched as the copy mirrored his exact motions. He gave the copy a polite bow before grabbing his wand in both hands and whispering, "Corpus Infernus!"

It started as a small flame at the base of his feet and it quickly traveled up his body until he was entirely consumed. It was the same spell Lestat had used to prevent himself from being eaten by the giant and the same spell he had used in the villa of The Venetian.

"Corpus Infernus!" Édouard casted a second time. The flames around his body began to grow larger and more violent. Already, he could feel the heat around his body rising quickly as sweat began to drip from his temples. Looking at the other side of the dueling platform, he saw that his identical copy was also on fire only the flames that consumed it were double in strength.

"Corpus Infernus!" He yelled for a third time. The drops of sweat that rolled off of Édouard's chin and hit the floor sizzling to steam as the roaring yellow and red flames continued to burn around his body. His vision blurred from the intense heat as he felt his knees begin to shake. On the other end, the copy let out a howling cry as it burned in a large torrent of flame.

Édouard's skin burned and his clothes began to char at the ends as he put all his focus into the spell. Dropping to one knee, he refused to let go, refused to give up until the clone had been beaten. Every breath that he took was pure anguish as the blisteringly hot air filled his lungs and burned deep within his chest.

"I don't know how much longer," he said through clenched teeth as the clothes he was wearing began to catch fire. "CORPUS INFERNUS!" Édouard cried out one last time as he watched a white light pour out of the copy until it vanished in the blaze of fire.

Édouard released the spell just as his vision faded to black. Smoke billowed from of his body like house fire as he swayed off of the platform and hit the ground with a hard "smack." He felt the cold floor against his cheek and knew that he had not been turned into stone. He watched as the small feet of Vert pattered toward him before his vision faded to black.

Chapter 27

Being There

The full spectrum of color filled the sky from dark purples to orange as the last rays of sun were dipping over the horizon. Night slowly crept into the sky while stars began to greet the world with their twinkling glow. The city of Paris was starting to change its skin from the professional world of suits and ties to the sheik nightlife of designer dresses and fashionable wears. The French language filled the air like the music of the loveliest symphony as Parisians sat on the patios of cafes sipping wines and took pleasure in each other's company.

Christiane calmly strolled down the streets, watching the muggles as they enjoyed their evening. She enjoyed watching them as they went about their business. How happy they seemed without the use or knowledge of magic. She often wondered if she could be so happy if she too took up the muggle lifestyle.

"Would I miss the sense of adventure?" She wondered, "Could I live the muggle life knowing about the world that lay just out of sight?"

Strolling down the busy sidewalk, she watched a family of four stroll by, hands locked together and wondered, "Will my child embrace the muggles as his parents did or will he look down on them like so many magical families? Will his status as a pure blood make him feel entitled?"

Christiane often wondered if she was a good parent. She knew what she was supposed to do to raise her son but she regularly contemplated if it was enough. "Is there a formula to making sure your child will be a good person?"

Christiane turned off of a busy boulevard and into a quieter neighborhood where muggle children played in the street. The small adolescents kicked a ball around with their feet, a most peculiar game that they called "football." Growing up, she was on the quidditch team at Beauxbatons where she was a seeker. She had many fond memories at her school and often wished that she could gain the free time to go back. Life had become so busy at the ministry and she started to see the toll that it was taking on her life. Rarely was she afforded any time to spend with her husband and it was doubly so for them to spend time as a family.

Christiane recalled the days that Édouard and her would go on strolls in the cemetery. He would often point out the famous Partée Mausoleum and even took her inside once when they were dating. Although some would consider it morbid, she found it fascinating, the idea of mortality. How the most precious commodity on earth is time and yet it is also the most freely wasted. We believe time to be so freely given, something we don't have to work for and yet we don't realize that we won't get a second more of what we've been destined to have.

Christiane was half way down the block when she walked up to a three story terraced red brick house with black trim. She opened the waist high rod iron gate and walked past a small garden where a cement square lay with her tiny child size handprints were imbedded next to her Father's and her Mother's. The child like handwriting in the cement read:

"Chistiane, Mama and Papa"

Christiane knocked on the navy front door of the terraced house that she grew up in. The sounds of laughter from her son emanated from the other side, giving her a warm feeling in her heart. She heard the lock of the door unlatch before the door opened and an older witch peered from around the door.

"Bonjour Mama!" Christiane greeted.

"Ma petite!" Rene Lafont welcomed with a large smile. She opened the door and gave her daughter a big hug as she alternated kisses on each cheek.

Christiane walked into the house as her mother closed the door behind her, "How was Timothee today?"

"An angel, as always," Rene answered.

They walked into the living room where Timothee was at play with his magical bear Ursa. The bear was reading to Timothee while drank apple juice from his sippy cup.

"Mama!" Timothee shouted in excitement as he raised his hands into the air.

Christiane walked over to her son and picked him up from the couch. She made a small groan from the weight of the child. "I swear he gets heavier every day Ma."

"He's a growing boy," Rene said with a smile. Walking over she lightly pinched the cheeks of the small boy, causing him to bury his head in his mother's neck. "He only gets shy when you are here."

"Bonjour Ursa!" Christiane said as she rocked her son from side to side in her arms.

The magical bear gave a friendly wave and closed the book he had been reading to Timothee.

"So you want me to take him tomorrow night?" Rene confirmed.

"Yes," Christiane answered, "It is our anniversary."

"Oh really?" Rene noted as she gave her daughter mischievous grin. "Do you have anything special planned?"

"Reservations at the Monte Carlo," Christiane replied.

"Fancy," Rene said as she began to pack away Timothee's things into his bag.

"It's where we first met Mama. It will be our fifth wedding anniversary tomorrow. I really want it to be special."

"How have you guys been doing? I remember you telling me it was tough when your father split you guys up as partners?"

"I still can't believe Papa did that," Christiane said. "It does make sense from a professional standpoint but I still miss working with Édouard. Now, I am working with my third partner."

"How has Édouard taken to the new partner situation?"

"He wasn't happy when it first happened. It was difficult for him to get accustomed to working with an elf but I think he and Vert really work well together."

"Well that's good dear." Rene said as she grabbed the bag of her grandchild's belongings and helped sling it over her daughters shoulder. She picked up Ursa and placed the bear into the carrying bag before asking, "And how are things between you two now?"

"Honestly, we have been so busy lately with the ministry, we barely get to spend time together like we used too."

"Christiane dear, jobs are only temporary but your marriage, that is forever. You must take care of that first."

"I know. You've been telling me that since I was little."

"Well it's true," Rene said, "If you don't make a husband feel loved and appreciated then he will grow apart from you but it's also his responsibility to make sure that you feel loved."

Christiane looked down at the heart shape pendant on her necklace that Timothee had gotten a hold of. The young child was examining the pendent as rays of light were reflected off of the metallic surface.

"Édouard is usually pretty good at making me feel special." She answered.

"I remember you wearing that necklace in the hospital. Did he get that necklace for you?"

"It was supposed to be my anniversary gift but he gave it to me early. We have this quirk where we make a wish whenever we see a falling star. Somehow he found a pendant made from a meteor and gave it to me."

"Aww," Rene said as she tilted her head to one side, "He really does love you."

"I know," Christiane replied, "It's just that sometimes I feel like he doesn't let me in. Like he bottles up his problems and shuts down on me instead of letting me help him."

"Your father is the same way," Rene said as she shook her head, "They are men who have a lot of responsibility and are used to only depending on themselves. It's not that they don't want our help. I just think they don't know how to ask us for help.

I remember years ago, a few years after you were born, it felt like your father didn't speak for almost three months. He was working on his first big case which involved the trial of Gellert Grindelwald. He was so nervous all the time. Your father would often go an entire day without a meal, hard to believe today but true. One day I just told him 'I'm there if you need me.' Although he never asked for my help, I could see in his eyes that he was happy to hear those words. Sometimes I think just letting them know that we are there for them can be enough."

"It's just that sometimes I get frustrated with him." Christiane retorted.

"I know dear," Rene said sympathetically, "If marriage was easy, they would spell it with fewer letters."

"Thanks Mama, and thank you so much for looking after Timothee," Christiane said gratefully. "Édouard also really appreciates you looking after our son during the day. I know we get a pretty good salary over at the ministry but daycare can be so expensive."

Rene walked over and rubbed the top of Timothee's head, messing up his hair, "I am a retired witch. It is my pleasure to look after my grandchild for a few hours in the day."

She looked at her daughter with her big brown eyes and placed a hand on her cheek, "My how they grow up so fast. I know you are busy over at the ministry but make sure you take the time to appreciate the moments you have because you do not know when they will be your last."

"You and your dark words of wisdom," Christiane sighed as she headed towards the door.

"They may seem dark but they are honest. Cherish every moment dear!" Rene replied as she followed her daughter towards the door.

Christiane made her way down the stairs of her parent's townhouse, with her son in her arms, before turning around and asking, "Can I drop off Timothee tomorrow at 4:45pm?"

"That works for me!" Rene answered. She waved to her daughter as she walked down the street, calling "Au revoir ma petite!"

Chapter 28

The Historian

"Rennervate!" An older British voice casted, causing Édouard's eyes to shoot open in alert consciousness.

Édouard found himself staring at the point of a long willow wood wand that hovered just over his head. His eyes followed the wand to an older wizard with big blue eyes and wavy grey hair. The wizard was wearing a black robe with a grey pattern of stars.

Édouard tried to move but felt like he had sunburn all over his body as his skin let out a radiant heat. His mouth was bone dry and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth as he whispered, "water."

"Of course my dear boy," The wizard answered as he conjured a cup and called out "Aguamenti."

Holding the cup to Édouard's mouth, the older wizard slowly poured the cool liquid down his throat. Édouard gulped down the refreshing liquid and felt energy slowly return to his body.

"Who?" was the only word Édouard was able to make as he peered back up at the wizard who had assisted him.

"Who am I?" The older wizard said in a boisterous voice, "Bartholomew Henry Periwinkle is the name and I am grateful for you getting passed the Wise Man's Mirror. I unfortunately was unable to get passed this challenge myself."

"Weren't you the stone statue we saw when we walked in?" Édouard said.

"Yes I was," Bartholomew answered, "A fate that has seemed to have befallen your companions Mr. Partée. Your Elf told me who you are and I recognized the surname. You are the descendant of a very interesting lineage of witches and wizards."

"I know who you are as well." Édouard blurted in a moment of recognition, "You are the historian who wrote on Benedict Arnold."

Bartholomew's face lit up from the recognition, "I am dear boy. I have written many articles on 18th century wizards, including the owner of this vault, General Benedict Arnold."

Édouard thought for a moment before realizing, "But you've been missing for almost a decade. Have you been here all this time?"

"It seems that I have." Bartholomew said as he looked around the stone windowless room, "A bit of a grim place if you ask me."

Édouard struggled to sit up and needed the help of Bartholomew in order to get himself in an upright position, to which Bartholomew took a seat next to him. Even though Bartholomew had an energetic personality, there was a suppressed tiredness in his gaze.

Édouard looked around the room and saw Vert as he attended to Oliver who was no longer made from stone but rested on the floor unconscious. In Nyima's case, her upper body looked to be back to normal as her lower half slowly thawed from stone to flesh. Édouard looked over to Samuel, who seemed to be pulling through and no longer looked as sickly from the Acromantula venom.

Édouard glanced back over to where the mirror had been and found a large black iron door in its stead with the word "Pugnantis" inscribed into it.

"My dear boy, may I ask how you got past Benedict's second task?" Bartholomew asked.

Édouard swallowed hard as he tried to gain focus and recall how he had beaten the mirror, "I… I used a spell that my brother had come up with. It sets the caster in a sort of protective flame. The only problem was that he never had enough time to make it completely safe. As it stands, the caster is not entirely protected from the heat and will start to feel its effects rather quickly."

Bartholomew's eyes lit up in excitement, "Oh dear. That does sound like quite a conundrum."

Édouard took another sip of water and cleared his throat, "I realized that when the mirror repeats the spell at twice the strength of the caster, that if I was to cast Corpus Infernus, the conjured clone would experience twice the heat. It was a gamble, but it worked."

"A very good wager," Bartholomew said with a wink. "Although I imagine your method was like kicking open a door rather than using the key."

Édouard watched Bartholomew as he was still examining every detail of the room. Édouard felt the dryness return to his mouth and so he pulled out his wand and filled up his cup with more water before asking, "We went through so much just to get to this point. Did Arnold really go through all this in order to get to his Vault?"

Bartholomew let out a boisterous chuckle before reaching into his robes and pulling out a curved dagger. He handed the dagger to Édouard before answering, "No my dear boy. He had this for the first task."

The hilt of the dagger was made of gold and had a large serpent wrapped around it with yellow gems in the eyes. The scabbard was encrusted with yellow gems and there was Arabic script engraved down the side. Édouard wrapped his hand around the hilt and attempted to open it when Bartholomew placed a hand over Édouard's.

"Be careful my dear boy," Bartholomew warned, "That is no ordinary blade, that is a basilisk dagger from the Magi of Persia, one of only a few rare items that Arnold kept out of his Vault."

Édouard only pulled the dagger out a little bit to examine the large polished fang. It looked similar to the one he had seen in the previous chamber. He remembered how the spiders reacted to the arrival of the giant snake and realized, "The spiders would fear this dagger?"

A smile grew on Bartholomew's face, "Exactly."

"And the blood sacrifice?" Édouard asked.

Bartholomew held up his fingertip which had a small red puncture mark on it. "The fang was not poisonous and it only took one drop. If the spiders didn't turn you back, then the prospect of having to cut yourself with one of the most poisonous objects in the world should do the trick. Those that sought to steal for their own personal gain would not find such a sacrifice acceptable. It would only be those who truly needed to get into the vault for a selfless reason that could get past the first stage."

"And what about the snake?"

"Benedict was a Slytherin when he attended wizarding school at Hogwarts, his affinity to snakes was only natural. These defenses that he has created for his vault are some of the magical items or creatures he must have collected through his business."

"What about the second task?" Édouard asked.

"A bit embarrassing for me," Bartholomew admitted as he pointed towards the long stone table, "What do you see?"

"A dueling platform," Édouard answered.

"Precisely," Bartholomew replied, "Benedict Arnold came from a very chivalrous age where a very strict code of honor was maintained. A thief does not have that honor, and thus would not follow the code of gentlemen wizards. It is my belief that in order to get past the Wise Man's Mirror, one must simply follow the proper code of dueling. Raised wands, a bow, turn, take three steps and turn and face your opponent. Most dark wizards will cast when your back is turned and thus face the demise by their own spell. If a challenger took three steps, their clone would copy the moves of the challenger and walk straight back into the mirror. By the time the challenger turned around, he would see the iron door rather than the Wise Man's Mirror. Because as it is said, 'I wise man knows when to pick his battles.'"

"If it was that simple, what happened to you?" Édouard asked.

"Like I said, a bit of an embarrassing tale for me," Bartholomew said as he pointed towards the bottom of his robe which was dirty and worn. "These robes are a quarter inch too long. When I turned to take my three steps, I tripped and fell from the platform. By the time I had realized my mistake, nearly ten years had passed. It was a most unfortunate mistake."

Samuel made a soft moan as he rolled onto his side. Vert looked up from Oliver and ran over to attend to Samuel.

"I was able to treat your friend with Acromantula anti venom that I had originally brought for myself should the dagger not work. As for the others, it will just take time before they are healthy again."

Bartholomew looked over at Vert as he helped Samuel recover, "I have never met a house-elf with such drive and determination. Most house-elves tend to favor a life of servitude, a tradition bound in legacy."

"Vert is a free elf and is an Auror of France."

"You don't say! I was wondering about his robes," Bartholomew said.

"I think it isolates him from other house-elves as they believe he has risen above his station but the views of others don't seem to have slowed him down. He is fiercely loyal and I have always viewed him as a member of my family." Édouard explained. Vert looked up from Samuel and gave a small wave.

"Can I ask you something Bartholomew?" Édouard asked.

"Yes my boy. What's on your mind?" Bartholomew replied.

"What is the third task?" He asked.

"A test," Bartholomew answered. "A test to face one's own worst fear and fight against it. It is my guess that the true reason Benedict Arnold never came back to his vault was that he did not know if he could face the third task anymore. His betrayal left him with a heavy guilt. I think what he feared most, after his betrayal, would be to face all those that died when he betrayed the country he served. Waiting for him past that cold iron door would be his friends, family members and fellow soldiers."

"How does it work?"

"The iron door of Pugnantis will lead you to a third chamber where an orb rests on a round stone table. It is my understanding that one must rest his hand upon the orb and press down until it has been lowered into the table. Only then will the last door to the riches be revealed. If the wizard cannot face his fears and draws his hand away from the orb, then he will be sent away and all the iron doors will be sealed again."

"So only one chance?" Édouard asked.

"Only one," Bartholomew answered.

"Will you come with us to the next chamber?" Édouard asked.

Bartholomew looked at the door for a long time with a longing gaze. Eventually he started to slowly shake his head "no," before he let out a soft sigh, "I've lost ten years of my life to this place. I always dreamed of finding it and when I did, I obsessed over it. Studied every document, every artifact, interviewed witches and wizards and even went as far as tracking down descendents. No, I believe I have spent enough time in the pursuit of this obsession, time I could have spent better, with my family. I don't even know if they moved on in life without me. For me, this is as far as my adventure will go."

Bartholomew stood up and dusted himself off. Looking back at the iron door, for only a fraction of a second there was the smallest tinge of regret in his face. Shaking his head, he pulled out his wand and held it into the air before he stopped and turned back to Édouard, "What are you looking for in the Vault? May I ask?"

Édouard didn't want Bartholomew knowing about his plans to free Lestat from Azkaban so he decided to list the things that The Venetian had requested, "A golden bracer."

"Ah yes," Bartholomew recalled, "the Bracer of Hercules. It is said to give its wearer the strength of twenty muggles."

"A broken Time-Turner."

"Only once can it be activated. It gives the wearer only thirty minutes time to change his or her fate. It is a powerful tool that could be used for good or evil."

"And a triangular iron box."

The inquisitive look on Bartholomew's face changed as he heard Édouard mention the triangular metal box and asked, "Was there a priest on this box?"

"Wi," Édouard answered.

"Was he wearing a pendent?" Bartholomew asked again.

"Wi, with rays of light shining from it," Édouard said.

"Did you come here searching for these things for yourself or for another?" Bartholomew said in a very concerned tone.

"Another," Édouard answered, now sensing the worry in Bartholomew, "What is it?"

"In my many years of studying the objects in Benedict Arnold's Vault, there was but one magical item that I would recommend leaving in that vault. It went by many names, witching stone, harvest stone but few know its' true name, the Stone of Morgana. It was a blue stone about the size of a snitch and it was responsible for more deaths of witches and wizards than any object in magical history."

"How come I have never heard of it?" Édouard questioned, shocked by Bartholomew's revelation.

"Because Merlin tried to wipeout all traces of its existence," Bartholomew interjected, "The stone was conjured by a very angry man who lived at the end of the first millennium and his name was Balthazar of Elvira. Balthazar grew up in a pure blood household from a very long lineage of powerful wizards and witches but unlike the rest of his family, he was a squib. Shunned at an early age, he began to wage a personal war against the magical world, vowing to burn it down. Denouncing his true surname, he called himself Balthazar of Elvira. With no magical ability of his own to speak of, he began to practice the one aspect of our world that requires the least amount of magic, alchemy.

It was in alchemy that he theorized a stone that would do the unspeakable, a stone that would steal the magical ability of those that shunned him.

Balthazar was turned down by Merlin when he sought his help and ended up turning to Merlin's arch nemesis, Morgana le Fay. Seeing how Merlin shunned Balthazar, Morgana decided to take up the squibs cause and worked on the stone. It was Morgana's intention to use the stone on Merlin and harvest his magical ability. History does not know how Balthazar ended up with the stone but what we do know is that he returned to his native home in Italy. Upon his arrival, he joined the muggle church where he began his crusade against the magical world. Many witches and Wizards died because of Balthazar as he would steal their magical ability before putting them to the flame. With no magic to conjure Freeze Fire, many of these Witches and Wizards who had surrendered themselves freely were now subject to a most horrific death.

It was indeed Merlin who eventually confronted Balthazar and took the stone from him, ending his devastating campaign. He hid the stone from the rest of the world in a secret location where it remained for over seven hundred years. It was eventually a wizard working in the pacific that stumbled upon the Stone of Morgana on a desolate atoll. When Benedict Arnold realized what he possessed, he hid the stone in his vault so that he could keep the magical world safe.

I implore you to not go for the stone, leave it here where it is safe, where it can't fall into the hands of a dark witch or wizard and plague our world again."

Bartholomew stared at Édouard with his hard blue eyes, "Good luck Mr. Partée, I wish you and your companions the best!"

Édouard gestured to hand the Basilisk dagger over to Bartholomew who simply said, "It's yours."

Taking a step back from the wall he stood in the center of the room with his wand at his side.

"Wait," Édouard called, "Do you have any advice to pass the next trial?"

"Fight," Bartholomew answered. Raising his willow wood wand into the air, Bartholomew shouted, "Domus Reversio" and disappeared from the room with a sharp hiss of wind.

Édouard got to his feet still holding the Basilisk dagger in his hands. He placed the dagger into Samuel's bag before heading over to Vert and checking on the rest of the group.

Samuel was conscious and slowly sipped water from a small clay bowl while Oliver sat against the wall with his head rested against his knees. Vert stood by his side, rubbing the weakened wizard's back. Édouard walked over to Nyima and knelt down next to the young wizard who was still unconscious.

"Samuel, Nyima is going to need your help." Édouard called.

Samuel nodded his head and grabbed his bag as he slowly got to his feet and walked over to the unconscious wizard. His legs were still weak under his body but he made his way without falling. Resting a hand on the stone platform for support, he lowered himself down by her side, "What's wrong?"

"I suspect a broken ankle," Édouard answered.

Samuel reached into his bag and pulled out a long white cloth. Pulling out his wand, he pressed it to the cloth and whispered an incantation. The cloth moved like a snake as it slithered along the ground and wrapped itself around Nyima's swollen and bruised ankle. Like a constrictor it began to squeeze tighter and tighter until there was a loud audible "pop!"

Nyima's eyes shot open at the sound, sitting up, she let out a terrible pained scream.

"It's ok!" Édouard said as he tried to calm the injured girl.

Her face was contorted in pain while she held her leg and cried, "It hurts! It hurts!"

Samuel reached into his bag and pulled a small bottle of skele-gro and unscrewed the cap, "Now that I was able to reset the bones, I need you to drink this!" He ordered.

Nyima took a sip from the bottle and turned her head and spat it out.

"Drink!" Samuel commanded.

Nyima took a sip and winced as the liquid went down. "It taste horrible!"

"I know," Samuel replied, "It will help repair the break. The bandage will also act as a splint and allow you some mobility."

Oliver got to his feet and slowly walked over to where Nyima lay and leaned against the stone platform for support. "I'm sorry for not listening to you Ed. I just thought I had this one."

"You should have listened." Édouard replied, "You endanger the entire group when you make such brash actions."

"I know," Oliver said, looking away in shame. He pulled out his spoon, wrapped with a werewolf whisker and tapped it on the platform, "It won't happen again."

"What's next?" Samuel asked.

Édouard stood to his feet and pointed at the large iron door where the mirror used to be. "That door will lead us to the final chamber. I think it would be better if you all stayed behind."

"Why is that?" Samuel asked.

"You're all injured," Édouard answered. "The next challenge is going to be worse than anything before. I think we have been lucky that no one has died we shouldn't risk it. The next challenge is supposed to involve our mind. Injuries to our body can heal but a damaged mind can drive a wizard insane."

Vert walked over towards the group and said, "We stay together."

Oliver looked at Édouard and said, "Look mate, I agree with the elf, we stick together."

"Samuel? Nyima?" Édouard asked and the two answered by nodding their head in agreement.

The group made their way onto the dueling platform while requiring heavy assistance. They walked, limped and shuffled hand in hand towards the large iron door with the word "Pugnantis" inscribed on the front. Stopping just before the door Édouard raised both his hands, closed his eyes and whispered "Fight" before pressing both hands to the cold black iron. There was a sudden whir and they were gone.

Chapter 29

Pugnantis

Édouard opened his eyes in the third and final chamber of Benedict Arnold's vault. The dark circular stone room looked like a dungeon with large black iron doors lining the walls in every direction. The chamber itself was no larger than a classroom at Pursang and the ceiling overtop was a grey stone dome. At the heart of the room was a round stone table and at its center, under a pillar of light, was a round crystal orb. Inside the crystal orb was a swirling storm of clouds that generated blue and orange light as it pulsed. The cool air of the chamber created a fine that mist hugged the ground.

Édouard took three deep breathes and looked around the room for any signs of danger before walking through the fine mist and towards the round stone table. His heart raced inside his chest as a wave of nausea passed over his body. The others followed to form a circle around the table as they all observed the glowing crystal ball.

Édouard made eye contact with everyone once before saying, "Once you have touched the orb, you cannot take your hands off of it until it has been completely lowered. Should you remove your grasp, you will be sent back and unable to return."

"We cannot take our hands off no matter what?" Vert asked.

"No matter what," Édouard affirmed.

They held out their hands and placed them into the column of light that beamed down from the ceiling. The light itself was slightly warmer on their hands as they let them hover just above the orb.

"For family," Édouard whispered one last time, "We lower our hands on the count of three."

They all chanted in unison, "One… Two… Three!"

The cystal orb was warm to the touch as the orange and blue light inside turned a bright red. Édouard felt a sudden jolt in his arm as images began to flood his mind. Various images throughout his entire life, the duel at Pursang, the Giants cave, the Hungarian horntail and the coined colossi but it was the last image that he did not recognize. It only flashed in his mind for a fraction of a second but it was the worst of them all. Christiane standing in a storm of fire as she looked on with a grief struck expression. A single tear rolled down her cheek and ran along the line of her chin before falling into the fire.

Édouard opened his eyes and watched as everyone else was recovering from a similar jolt through their body. He felt the orb start to slowly descend into the table just as five of the iron doors along the walls opened. The raised doors revealed corridors even darker than the center room with fog masking their path.

Various snarls and hisses began to echo from the corridors as figures began to move in the fog just out of sight.

"Stay strong!" Édouard said as his head looked around the room, trying to see what was lurking in the darkness.

The first creature to emerge was from the corridor in front of Oliver. It was a tall black furry muscular creature with a long snout and pointed fangs. The night shine of its eyes reflected the light from the center of the room in two glowing yellow spheres. It stood upright with its long legs and powerful long arms that ended in massive clawed hands.

Oliver's pulse quickened as he looked down the corridor at the creature in shadow, "It's a werewolf…" he murmured. He swallowed hard before pulling out his spoon wrapped with a werewolf whisker and held it out in his trembling hand.

At the same time in Nyima's corridor, a fifteen foot humanoid creature that was covered in white fur except for its hands, face and feet let out a low rumbling growl as it flashed its large white teeth. Ice blue eyes glowed in the dark as large trails of breath billowed from its mouth.

"Yyyyeettttiii," Nyima stuttered as tears began to flow down her face. Her chin quivered while she wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her robe.

Édouard felt her hand begin to slide from the orb and shouted, "Nyima, it is only a test. Hold on!"

"Vert!" a voice called from a corridor.

Édouard recognized the voice instantly, "Father?" he said, looking towards Vert's corridor.

Diodore Claudius Partée walked out of the fog and into the entrance of the corridor, "Vert, come here!" his voice boomed with anger.

Vert's knees trembled as the elf looked up at Édouard, terror in his big green eyes. His head looked back at Diodore who's blue and green eyes burned with an intense anger.

"Do not disobey your master elf! I will not say it again! Come here!" Diodore ordered as he pointed to the spot in front of him.

Vert cowered as he whispered, "Yes Maitre" and took a step.

"Stop Vert!" Samuel said as he placed a hand on the elf's shoulder, "You are a free…" but before he could finish his thought, a familiar cry echoed form the corridor in front of him.

"Mara?" He whispered as he turned away from Vert.

A beautiful woman walked forward with long black hair, mocha skin and big brown eyes. "Samuel," she whispered in a ghost like voice.

"Mara!" he murmured in a stupor.

"You let them take me." She whimpered.

Samuel tried to speak but he found his words caught in his throat. Swallowing hard he said, "I'm sorry."

"You said you would protect me," Mara said as tears began to fall down her cheeks. "You said you would take me away from a world of hate. You lied!"

Samuel's chest heaved as the tears began to stream down his cheeks, "I'm Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Édouard looked around the group, "Stay strong!" but he could feel their grips slowly falter as the manifestations made their way out of the fog.

There was a loud sniff over Édouard's shoulder, causing him to turn and face the long dark foggy tunnel behind him. The fog pulled back from the tunnel revealing the body of a blonde teenager lying on the ground.

Édouard felt his entire body tense and freeze, "Lestat," he whispered. The boy's body was battered and bleeding. His blue Pursang robes were charred and blood trickled from a head wound, turning his blonde hair red.

The sound of something massive sniffing the air echoed down the chamber walls. The gnarled hand of a giant emerged from the fog and wrapped around the teenage Lestat, pulling his body back into the mist.

"NO!" Édouard shouted as he pulled out his wand and pointed it down the corridor.

There were a series of sickening crunches that came from the fog that made Édouard want to vomit.

A deep moan of satisfaction bellowed from the fog before the long leg of a giant emerged from the haze and into the chamber. The giant was massive, causing the ground to tremble as it entered the main chamber. It stood nearly twenty five feet tall and towered over the all those below. The giant dragged the long wooden trunk of a pine like a club as it came forward.

Édouard recognized the horrifying creature instantly with its bulbous nose and distinct cataract eyes and one ear. It was the same giant from the mountains that had slain the unicorn. The large monster sniffed the air for a second time as a dirty hand wiped the blood away from its mouth.

Édouard felt the fear growing inside of him. He wanted to let go of the orb and run, he felt trapped and vulnerable.

The other manifestations were making their way into the main chamber as well. The werewolf snapped its salivating jaws and howled while the Yeti continued to growl. Oliver had casted various spells at the werewolf to no effect while Nyima had crumbled to her knees with a hand over her ear, trying to block out the growls of the Yeti. She kept one hand outstretched on the table, just barely touching the orb. The manifestation of Diodore Partée continued to berate Vert while the recreation of Mara chastised her guilt sodden husband. The orb that had once had full palms resting on it, was now only being clung to by the tips of fingers.

The giant stood over Édouard with its horrid smells wafting in the air. The monster raised its club over Édouard's head and was ready to smash him into oblivion.

Édouard closed his eyes and remembered the image of his brother being eaten by the giant and felt the spark of a flame light deep within his soul. It was warm as it burned and quickly grew throughout his body, filling him with raw power. The green flecks in Édouard's eyes glowed as he opened them in the dark chamber. He looked up at the giant with utter disgust and raised his wand into the air.

"I know what you are," Édouard said through gritted teeth as he pointed his wand at the head of the giant. With a wave of his wand he yelled, "Riddikulus!"

It was as if the invisible spell had blasted the giant in the face and it stammered backwards a couple of steps, dropping its massive club onto the ground.

"Riddikulus!" Édouard shouted a second time as he tried to focus past the fear.

The giant shrunk to half its size as it continued to stumble backwards. The large wooden trunk on the ground disappeared as the deep voice of the creature became even higher pitched.

"Riddikulus!" Édouard casted for a third time and the giant turned into his old Pursang bully Francois Babineaux, moments after his pants had been stolen by Lestat. The ashamed boy turned bright red as he covered himself for modesty. Running into the tunnel, the manifestation disappeared into the fog and the large iron door dropped shut behind it.

"They're Boggarts!" Édouard shouted as he re-secured his grip on the orb. "That's how they know all our deepest fears!"

Oliver's looked over at Édouard, still petrified of the growling werewolf that gnashed its teeth feet away.

"It's not real!" Édouard said.

The werewolf lunged at Oliver just as he casted, "Riddikulus!"

The large black howling werewolf transformed mid air and landed onto the ground as a small puppy. The small black puppy with large floppy ears whimpered as it ran back towards the tunnel.

Oliver turned to Nyima and placed a hand on her shoulder as she cowered in a ball next to the stone table, "It's not real. You can beat it! Trust me, you are strong!"

Oliver grabbed Nyima's hand that was still clutching her staff and pointed it towards the gigantic snarling Yeti. "All you need to do is cast!"

"Rrr…" She stammered and tried again, "Rrr…" but she found herself too terrified to say the words.

"You're almost there," Oliver whispered into her ear. "Say it with me."

"Riddikulus!" they whispered in unison.

The tall powerful Yeti stumbled backwards a few steps before regaining its composure.

"Again," Oliver encouraged.

"Redikkulus," Nyima murmured again.

This time when the Yeti went to growl, it brayed like a donkey. The sound caused Nyima's head to look up and watch as the perplexed Yeti continued to bray loudly.

Nyima let out a small chuckle which caused the Boggart to turn and run back into the corridor with its long donkey like tail swinging behind it.

Nyima looked over at Vert who was being coached by Édouard, and gave him a confident nod, "You can do it!"

"Redikkulus!" Vert shouted as he looked on with only one eye open.

The tall imposing figure of Diodore Claudius Partée stumbled backwards into the corridor. His black professional dress robes were transformed into an American hippie style of clothing. The old solemn faced wizard had on bell bottoms, a sleeveless vest, round black sunglasses and a matching headband.

Both Vert and Nyima laughed as the Boggart ran away as a black iron door closed behind it.

"Samuel!" Édouard called.

Samuel did not answer as he gazed into the big brown eyes of his wife. She caressed his cheek and he turned his head into her touch. "I missed you." He whispered.

"Come with me," She beckoned.

"Sam!" Oliver shouted, "Snap out of if Mate! That's not your wife. That is a Boggart having a go at you!"

Samuel felt himself move forward as his body followed his wife's retreating hand.

Édouard looked down at the orb and saw Samuel's hand slowly start to pull away from the orb, "Redikkulus!" he shouted, causing the image of Mara to transform into The Venetian in women's clothing.

Samuel's head shook out of the stupor as he looked upon the confusing sight.

"It's your turn," Vert said, tugging on the wizards pant leg.

Samuel looked back at the Boggart, heartbroken that the image of his wife was not real and murmured "Redikulus."

The Boggart transformed into a large Kneazle and trotted away with the black iron door shutting as it left.

Samuel still looked unsure of himself as he stared at the cold iron door that had once held his wife. He felt a pang of sadness and loneliness creep into his heart as he raised his hand one last time in the direction she had left.

There was an audible click as the orb was set completely into the table. The red glowing crystal ball changed to a green color as the rotating smoke inside changed direction. A door that had not opened before dropped into the floor revealing a large golden door. The gold door was engraved with an elaborate drawing of the three chambers. Even in the low light of the room, the door still seemed to glisten.

Édouard looked back and smiled at his companions who nodded him on, all except Samuel who was still looking at the closed chamber door. Édouard slowly walked to the door and felt warmth radiating from it along with the smell of ocean. Turning around, he waved for Vert to come join him, which the elf was happy to oblige.

"Ready?" He asked.

Vert looked up and smiled, "Ready."

They pressed the large golden door at the same time and vanished from the third chamber.

Chapter 30

The Reason Why

Édouard raised his hand to block out the bright hot sun in the blue cloudless sky. His eyes slowly adjusted to the dramatic light change allowing him to see undisturbed white sandy beach. The sound of crashing surf and the scent of ocean salt filled the air. A pair of crabs scuttled up and down the waterline, moving in sync with the waves while a pelican flew overhead before plunging into the clear blue water. Édouard looked down and watched as Vert wiggled his small toes in the white sand and smiled. Closing his eyes, Édouard listened to the rolling waves as a cooling sea breeze blew across his face.

Édouard smiled and in a sigh of relief said, "We made it."

"Yes, we did," Vert said and ran towards the water.

Édouard watched Vert as he played in the water before turning back and looking beyond the beach where an old stone path, lined with palm trees, lead up to a large stone mansion. The mansion was nearly identical to the headquarters at West Point with the key difference being that this building was eroded and had lush green vines growing on it.

Édouard pulled back the sleeve to his robes and found that his watch had been cooked by the heat of his Corpus Infernus spell. Pulling out his wand he pointed it towards the face of his watch and casted, "Tempus Reparo." Instantly the small black hands of his wristwatch slid to 1:43am and started to tick as per usual. "I hope Christiane isn't up waiting for me," He thought.

There was a sudden whooshing sound as Nyima, Oliver and Samuel appeared at the beach. The tension in their face quickly evaporated as they found themselves in what could only be deemed as a tropical paradise.

"Blimey, we bloody did it," Oliver muttered and fell to his knees. He ran his fingers into the sand and said, "We're back to normal size as well."

"The last door must have reversed the shrinking spell," Samuel said lacking enthusiasm, as he stared into the endless horizon of cresting ocean.

"Where are we?" Oliver asked.

Édouard looked up and studied the sun before assessing, "My watch says it is 1:43am in France and the sun looks to be at high noon. I'd say we are somewhere in the Pacific."

Nyima looked around the beach in awe, never having seen such a place. She saw Vert playing in the water and limped over to join the happy elf. Reaching the cool water, the bandage around her ankle made a small quiver before re-securing itself.

"That's not a bad idea," Oliver said as he took off his jacket and ran towards the water. He charged into the surf at full speed until he was waist deep and dove.

Édouard turned to speak to Samuel and found that he had departed from the group and was sitting by himself under a palm tree. Édouard was unsure why Samuel departed from the group but he decided that he would find out why. Walking over, he saw that Samuel's expression was dazed as he stared towards the endless ocean. In his hands was a small brown coconut that he tossed from side to side.

Taking a seat next to Samuel, Édouard pulled out his wand and summoned a cup that he filled with cool refreshing water. "Want to talk about it?"

"What's there to talk about," Samuel replied numbly as he continued to toss the coconut.

Édouard watched the others play in the water as he spoke, "I'm not going to lie to you Samuel. We nearly lost you down there in the third chamber."

Samuel took the coconut that he had been tossing back and forth and threw it towards the beach.

Édouard watched the coconut as it landed with a hard "thud" in the sand, "I know it wasn't easy seeing her down there."

"What would you know?" Samuel snapped back in anger, "I haven't seen my wife in two years! I've blown through most of our savings just to get me here and you know what? She is still locked in Azkaban. All that boggart did was remind me to keep fighting. You talk like you know everything about me, what about you?"

"What about me?" Édouard said.

"You get you see your wife and kid every night! What are you doing here Édouard? You're telling me you are willing to throw your entire life away for some brother you haven't even seen in over ten years? You haven't even tried to contact him since he was locked away, why are you really here?"

In a sudden fit of anger, Samuel pulled out his wand and pointed it towards the coconut, yelling "Confrigo!" The coconut that rested in the sand exploded into brown and white shards as the water inside sprayed into the air. Taking his wand, Samuel stabbed it into the sand by his side.

There was a long moment of silence as the two wizards watched the rhythmic waves of the ocean as they ran up the beach before getting dragged back into the clear waters.

"I fed my brother unicorn blood to save his life," Édouard confessed. "We had climbed the mountain looking for a lost unicorn that belonged to our school. It turned out that a giant had taken the unicorn and had waited in ambush for us when we came looking for it. Lestat was going to die and so I used the unicorn blood to save his life at the cost of his soul."

Édouard grabbed a handful of white sand and let it slowly trickle out of his hand like an hourglass, "You were right. I haven't talked to him in years. In all honesty I forgot he existed until about a month ago and even then I didn't want us to find this place. Part of me wanted to forget what happened that night… Part of me wishes I would have let him die. I hate myself for thinking that but it's true. Maybe it would be better to die than to be locked into Azkaban with a lifetime of despair. I sometimes wonder, if I was the one that was cursed that night."

Edouard looked towards Samuel, "I didn't know if I wanted risk everything for my own brother but when Vert was willing to join us for the sake of family, I knew, curse or no curse, I had to see if he was innocent."

Samuel pulled his wand out of the sand and twirled it between his fingers. They sat for another long moment in silence before Samuel said, "I met Mara in New York City in the summer of 1962. One of the professors of muggle studies at Salem told me about 'their new greatest triumph!" as he explained it. These boxes that muggles were using called 'televisions' which showed moving pictures in color. I wanted to see one for myself and so I went down to New York. I went into a shop and that was the first time we met. She thought I was weird but charming and I thought she was just the most beautiful person I had ever seen."

"That's usually how it starts," Édouard said with a small smile.

"She was hesitant when I asked on a date. You see, in our world it has always been about full-bloods, half-bloods or muggle born. We don't judge a witch or wizard by the color of their skin. Such a thought would seem ridiculous in our world but in the muggle world, it is different. I didn't believe her at first until we started going out. Muggles staring at us a fraction longer than they normally would. No one said anything otherwise I would have cursed them on the spot, but you could see it in their eyes."

Edouard picked up more sand and let it fall through his fingers, "It doesn't matter where you are, people are people. They will fear what they don't know."

"And that is where I made my mistake," Samuel said, "I told her that in my world, wizards didn't care what you looked like and that was true. It wasn't until we went to a restaurant in my world that I had realized my mistake. We were having dinner when a professor at Salem came up to talk to me. I introduced Mara to him and offered him a seat at our table. It wasn't until he asked her what wizarding school she went to, that he discovered she was a muggle, and that is when it happened. I recognized that same stare that we had received in the muggle world, that lingering look of unspoken words. I am almost curtain she noticed it to."

"Some wizards are backwards," Édouard scoffed. "My father was the same way. A hateful man who thought he was better than others. Blood doesn't determine the worth of a wizard. Hard work, honesty and integrity determine what you are made of.

You know why some wizards look down on muggles? It's plain fear, they see the things that muggles have accomplished without magic and it frightens them. They see the real power that muggles have, the real power to overcome and create without the aid of magic."

"I know that but it doesn't make it any easier," Samuel replied, "You know I actually bought Mara a wand and tried to teach her magic after our dinner at the pub. I didn't realize I was falling into the very pressures of an idea that I scorned. Eventually, she started crying when she couldn't make the simplest of charms happened and I realized that she wanted to perform magic not for herself, but for me. She wanted to do it so that I would feel more comfortable being with her in public. At that very moment I broke her wand and threw it out. I couldn't make her into something she was not. I had to love her for who she was. That very night I asked her to marry me and she agreed. I told her that I loved everything about her, especially the fact that she was a muggle." Samuel paused as the reality hit him, "It was two years later when the archaic mindset of a gang of pure blood wizards would tear us apart."

Édouard and Samuel watched Vert, Nyima and Oliver play in the sapphire blue ocean. The three of them ran back and forth as they played games of tag and keep away using a coconut that had floated ashore. Nyima was beginning to walk better with every passing moment while Vert and Oliver seemed to be recuperating well from the mental onslaught they had taken in the third chamber.

"We'll get her out," Édouard said as he placed a hand on Samuel's shoulder.

"I know," Samuel replied as he swallowed hard, "I know."

Chapter 31

Good Business

The wizards, the witch and the elf opened the large golden doors of the tropical mansion and found themselves in what looked very reminiscent of a museum. Instead of a grand foyer of pillars and statues, this foyer had rows upon rows of finely crafted wooden display cases as far as the eye could see. Inside each square wooden box were meticulously catalogued items that ranged from exotic plants to artifacts owned by legendary wizards and everything in-between.

"Everyone spread out and keep your eyes open for what we need." Samuel ordered.

"What about booby traps?" Oliver asked wearily.

"There shouldn't be any," Samuel answered. "If you find yourself in trouble, just call out."

Each of them took a row of display cases and slowly made their way down it, passing an untold number of precious objects.

Édouard found himself passing a small stuffed Snidget. The bird was little and golden with wispy wings and a long slender beak. Written on a brass plaque outside of the case was the date 1269 and the name "Barberus Bragge's Snidget." The display cases after this one all contained snitches used in various Quidditch World Cup matches from 1473 to 1777. It was a Quidditch fans dream with various bludgers, bludger bats, quaffles, team patches and brooms.

Édouard smiled to himself as he thought, "Lestat would have loved to have seen this."

He continued walking down the aisle until he reached the end. Lifting his head and looking around, he saw that the other members of his party were not as far as he was. They had stopped to periodically examine the objects in the glass cases and fell behind. Édouard went to walk down another row when he saw a winding staircase in the corner of the room. "I'm going to see what's upstairs." He called back.

Samuel waved to Édouard not taking his gaze from a display case. He leaned in closely and studied an artifact with a look of awe on his face.

Édouard turned and made his way up the winding stairs where a series of portraits were hung along the walls. The portraits displayed various famous wizards and witches in their moments of triumph and they would occasionally call out to him as he passed. He heard the crazed screams of a wizard around the corner of the stairwell before he ever saw it. Rounding a few more steps, he found the disturbed portrait of Ekrizdis. Édouard pulled out his wand and hit the picture with a silencing charm before he removed it from the wall. The demented wizard continued to cry out but no sounds were made.

"Gratitude," A distinguished wand wielding portrait of Antioch Peverell thanked, "The idle sorcerer hath screamed for nearly ten score."

Cadmus and Ignotus shook their heads in agreement as they watched Édouard continue to make his way up the steps.

Édouard reached the top of the steps where he found General Benedict Arnold's personal study. The room had large glass windows in every direction that gave a full view of the island atoll.

At one end of the circular room was a large finely crafted wooden desk and behind the desk was a large cast iron sculpture similar to the doors he had seen in the vault. The sculpted picture was very dark as it showed a man holding a book chastising a witch burning at the stake. The name Balthazar was inscribed at the top of the sculpture in medieval script.

Looking around the study, it was obvious that in this office were the artifacts that were cherished above all others. In a single case were the wands of Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. The four wooden wands were kept in pristine condition with their magically regulated boxes.

The next display case had a piece of Merlin's robe and to Édouard's amusement, a few long grey strands of Merlin's beard.

He walked past a box that contained a few necklaces with large sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds and made his way to a fourth glass case. The fourth box that Édouard came across was empty and instead of words on the brass name plate, there was a symbol. Inscribed on the plate was a line with a circle encompassing it from end to end, and the circle was enclosed by a larger triangle. Édouard studied the symbol carefully as he ran his finger over the brass plate. It looked as if the box was designed for three different objects but had never actually been filled.

Walking all the way around the room, Édouard ended up where he started, "I was sure it would be here." He thought. Picking up the portrait of Ekrizdis, Édouard turned to head down the stairs when he stopped. Turning around, he stared at the black iron sculpture behind the desk. It was a very disturbing picture as the anguish on the burning witch looked so real and the hatred on the man's face was palpable.

"Just maybe," Édouard thought and he walked over to the sculpture. The design of the book that Balthazar was holding looked peculiar. Inside the rectangular shaped book was the image of a priest with a necklace that had light emanating from it. It took Édouard a minute before the triangular boarders became visible. Reaching out his hand, he pressed the top of the triangle and the bottom popped out. Putting down the portrait, he removed the iron triangular box and placed it onto the desk.

Opening the box, Édouard gazed upon the Stone of Morgana that looked like a deep blue opal. Inside the stone were iridescent glimmers of cobalt, black and violet of innumerable shades and intensities. It was absolutely breathtaking how many colors could be contained in just one stone.

The words of warning by Bartholomew Periwinkle still rung in the back of Édouard's head as he looked at the stone, "Could I really let this fall into the hands of The Venetian?" He wondered.

Édouard was closing the case of the triangular box when he heard loud shouts coming from the base of the stairs. Getting to the stairs, the sounds of loud bangs echoed up the stairwell. He couldn't distinguish what was going on over the chattering portraits around him but he could tell there was trouble. Hearing the troublesome sounds, Édouard ran down the stairs as fast as he could, skipping steps two at a time.

Near the bottom of the stairwell, Édouard found Nyima lying on the steps clutching her head.

"Nyima, what happened?" Édouard asked.

The young woman extended a finger down the stairs towards the foyer. "He needs your help!"

Sprinting down the steps, Édouard reached the foyer where he found a world of absolute chaos. Some of the display cases were overturned while others were completely obliterated. The neat rows that had once run the length of the foyer were a scattered mess. Shattered glass and priceless artifacts littered the floor.

In the center of the room Oliver and Samuel were locked in an intense duel where the two colliding jets from their spells created a bolt of light that crackled, bowed and popped between them. The jets of light wiggled in a very jagged motion as bolts would arch out and destroy the nearby wooden cases, sending them alight.

"What's going on here?" Édouard shouted.

"He betrayed us!" Samuel yelled through clenched teeth as he pressed hard with his wand.

In a single motion, Oliver raised his spoon higher, lifting the jet of light while simultaneously pulling out a second silver spoon wrapped with a werewolf whisker and casted, "Expulso!"

There was a loud "bang" and Samuel was launched into the air. The wizard flew backwards towards Édouard who dropped the artifacts to catch him. Samuel crashed into Édouard, causing the two to tumble to the ground.

"Accio! Oliver casted, causing the triangular iron box to soar through the air and into his hands. He was already wearing the golden bracer and the Time-Turner when he grinned and said, "I hate to do this to you lot but orders are orders." Taking his spoon and raising it into the air, he yelled, "Domus Reversio!" and in a whir of wind, he was gone from the foyer.

Édouard rubbed the back of his head as he got to his feet. Samuel was rubbing his arm as he did the same.

"What happened?" Édouard asked, "Wait, where's Vert?"

"He hit Vert first with a Confundus charm while his back was turned. Nyima was second to go. I was lucky enough to turn around as he pointed that damn spoon at me. I ducked out of the way and casted before he could hit me as well."

Édouard's face turned a shade of red as he grumbled, "When I get my hands on him."

"He could have killed them but instead he only chose to stun," Samuel noted, in an attempt to quell Édouard's fury. "I think he just wanted us out of the way."

"Do you think it was orders from the Venetian?"

"Probably," Samuel affirmed, "Either way, we will need to pay him a visit."

"But how are we going to find him?"

"Do you still have that coin I gave you?"

Édouard reached into his pocket and pulled out the small goblin galleon and held it out.

Samuel took the coin before reaching into his bag and pulling out a series of rolled up maps, "I bet you anything that Oliver still has his. All we need to do is track his coin."

Placing the coin on a large world map, Samuel and Édouard watched as the coin slid towards the north east of the United States.

"He's back at West Point," Samuel said.

The coin stayed on the northeast for only a brief moment before sliding across the Atlantic and stopping in France. The two wizards watched intensely as the coin remained still for a few minutes.

"He's back in France," Édouard observed.

Samuel reached back into his bag and pulled out a folded tourist map of Paris. Unfolding the map, Samuel picked up the coin and placed it back onto the diagram of the city. The coin slid indecisively a few times before gliding onto Gare du Nord train station.

The coin stopped and then started to slowly travel south, not following any of major roads.

"He's must be on a train," Samuel said.

"We don't know exactly what line he is on but in the mean time," Édouard said, "Look Samuel, I've been thinking."

"What?" Samuel asked.

"Well, now that we have the objects, maybe we should send Nyima home. She is young and the next part of our little excursion here isn't necessarily legal."

"I was thinking the same thing."

"I'll get Vert and you get Nyima?" Édouard suggested.

"Sounds good."

The group reassembled in the center of the room amidst the chaos of strewn out display cases and stood around the map. Samuel handed out snacks as they all watched the coin travel towards the southeastern corner of Paris.

"Do you have a map of France?" Édouard asked.

"No," Samuel answered.

"Vert," Édouard said but the small elf had disappeared and reappeared with a stack of maps before he could finish his request.

Vert took one of the maps he was holding and handed it to Samuel, "For you monsieur!"

"That was fast!"

"I got them from Gare du Nord." He answered.

They placed the coin on the map from the train station with the exact rail lines and watched as the coin ran along a blue line, which went towards Switzerland.

"Do you think he is leaving the country?" Nyima asked.

"Quite possibly," Samuel answered.

"Look, Nyima," Samuel said, "I was talking to Édouard and we just…"

"Thought it would be better to let me go because the next part of your trip is illegal," Nyima said. "I was blind for most of my life Samuel, I have exceptional hearing. I also know that you plan on breaking out your wife and Édouard's brother. I'm staying on with you guys."

"But…" Samuel stammered.

"No, I am staying on. This is my decision… For family," She said as she looked at Vert.

Édouard cocked a grin, "For family."

"Fine, but you have to follow our orders exactly. If we say you have to leave, then leave, don't protest," Samuel demanded. "I just care about your safety. I feel terrible enough as it is for letting you stay on. If anything were to happen to you, I could never forgive myself."

"I will," Nyima nodded.

Édouard knelt down and pointed towards a small city that the train line ran through, "I think we can head them off there if we leave now."

Vert walked over and placed his finger on the moving coin. "Why don't I take you there?"

"You could get us on the train?" Samuel said.

"Wi, monsieur!" Vert replied.

"That would be perfect!" Samuel answered as he picked the coin off the map and flipped it towards Édouard. Édouard grabbed the coin out of the air and placed it into his pocket.

Nyima grabbed the portrait of Ekrizdis and helped Samuel put it into his letterman's bag before they stood together in the center of the room.

"Wands out!" Édouard ordered, "We have to be ready for anything when we arrive in the train."

With a loud "crack," Vert had apparated them from Benedict Arnold's Mansion.

Chapter 32

The Train

"Where are we Vert?" Édouard asked in mild annoyance as he felt his shoes squish in cold brown mud. It was the middle of the night and the moon shone high in the star filled sky. They heard the mooing of cows and the smell of manure attacked their sense of smell. The ground was freshly tilled and yellow bales of hay dotted the open landscape.

"We're on a farm," Samuel said.

Vert looked up with a half cocked grin and raised his shoulders, "Maybe the Confundus charm affected me a little more than I thought."

The loud whistle of a train echoed in the distance as a small glowing yellow dot traveled across the horizon.

"There it is!" Vert said as he squint his eyes and balled his fists, "Hold on!"

There was another loud "crack" and they all disappeared from the field and into a very extravagant dining car. The train car contained spatial magical properties because there was a disproportionately large gourmet restaurant inside. The restaurant had two tiers with many white table clothed round tables where various witches and wizards enjoyed candle lit meals. The smells of fresh bread, rich meats and cooked vegetables saturated the air.

House-elves ran in-between the tables with large silver platters of food over their heads swaying this way and that. They worked diligently as they took orders, brought meals and cleared tables.

A large mural of Miles Duke and the Brass Whizbees filled the train car with the fast paced melodic sounds of jazz. A ghost sat in the front row bobbing his head and snapping his fingers as he enjoyed the music while a pale blue eyed vampire with straight jet black hair sipped blood from a martini glass. Her eyes lazily turned to the new arrivals before going back to the band.

"I see the Venetian over there," Samuel said as he pointed to a round booth at the very far end of the train car on the second tier. He sat with his three bodyguards who accompanied him.

"Oliver is with him," Édouard seethed.

They snaked their way through the tables, trying to avoid the house-elves before they climbed a set of stairs and approached the booth. Oliver saw the approaching group and went to reach into his leather jacket.

"Ah-Aah," Samuel said as he pointed his wand at Oliver. The nervous wizard slowly removed his empty hand from his jacket and held it up in surrender.

Nyima pointed her staff at the rather large bodyguard, Doro, while Vert kept his green eyes locked on the bald one.

The Venetian was dressed in a fine suit with a brass Time-Turner dangling from his neck. He held out a large silver goblet to which a house-elf filled it with wine. Samuel saw the glimmer of the gold bracer poking out of the Venetian's sleeve when he requested the drink. He smiled a devious grin as Édouard, Samuel, Nyima and Vert stood in front of his table.

"Salve," the Venetian greeted.

"You betrayed us," Édouard said flatly.

"It is, how you say, good business," the Venetian answered. He picked up the Time-Turner on the brass chain and gave it a delicate tap, causing one of the gyroscopic rings to spin.

"You got what you want," Samuel said, "A deal is a deal. You promised to help us."

The Venetian looked up from the spinning ring, "Why should I help you? You have nothing I want."

"I have something," Édouard replied.

The Venetian narrowed his eyes as he studied Édouard who maintained a stoic expression. He folded his hands on the table and let out a light sigh, "Alright, I bite. What do you have?"

"A secret," Édouard answered, "Your secret."

The right eye of the Venetian winced as his brown and green eyes locked onto the blue and green eyes of Édouard. He seemed to sit as still as a statue before whispering, "Out."

Even though The Venetian had whispered, the response was immediate throughout the entire restaurant. The Wizards, witches and house-elves made their way out of the train car by all means necessary. Even the mural of the jazz band packed up their instruments and made their way out of the painting. In a matter of seconds, they found themselves to be the only ones in the car.

"You three," The Venetian ordered, "Stand guard by the other end of the car."

The three body guards shuffled their way out of the booth and walked across the empty dining car. They stood in a row at the far end, carefully watching the group of wizards that had interrupted their night.

"Go on," the Venetian beckoned to Édouard. "What is this secret?"

Édouard simply answered, "You're a squib."

"And why do you surmise that?" The Venetian asked with no facial reaction to the accusation.

"I didn't realize it at first but the first time we met, you hesitated to reach for a knife before drawing your wand. A true wizard or witch will always reach for their wand first. It is a tool they learn to trust in the midst of danger. Even your man Oliver reaches for his magical spoon when he senses danger."

"Is that all?" The Venetian said.

"No," Édouard replied as he reached over and grabbed an empty goblet. "Then I found it odd that I have never seen you perform one ounce of magic. Even when we walked in just a moment ago, you had a house-elf pouring you wine."

Édouard pulled out his wand and pointed it at the empty goblet. With a small wave of his wand, the chalice filled with wine which he slid across the table towards the Venetian. "And lastly, the objects you requested from Benedict's Vault."

The Venetian grabbed the goblet and took a long slow swig from it before placing it back onto the white cloth covered table, "And why the objects?"

"Out of all the artifacts you could have requested in the vault, powerful wands being a big one," Édouard explained, "You had us bring you three items that didn't require the use of any magical power. In all honesty, I didn't come to this realization until I learned the true purpose of that metal triangular box you were so keen on not telling us about. It was a squib's weapon, used against witches and wizards. That is when I realized that you were gathering magical defenses that would protect you from the one thing you claimed to be, a magical practitioner."

"That is an interesting theory Mr. Partée," the Venetian said.

"Fine, curse me," Édouard said, placing his wand on the table and turning his back to the Venetian, "If I am wrong, then you have my permission to hit me with any spell you want. My companions won't attempt to stop you."

"Édouard," Samuel whispered.

"No!" Édouard quickly fired back, "He has my permission to curse me."

The Venetian's eyes looked down at the cherry wood dragon heartstring wand before looking up at Edaouard with his back turned. The Venetian's folded hands shook as they were clinched so tightly together.

"You see," Édouard said as he turned around and grabbed his wand, "You're a squib! And I will bet anything that you don't want that secret getting out. Especially when pure bloods aren't too keen on working with anyone lower than half-blood. I could only imagine what they would think if they learned the mighty Venetian was a squib. So how about it, squib, will you help us?"

They sat in silence for a long time as the Venetian's cold eyes locked on Édouard with a determined burning hate. Unclenching his hands, the Venetian watched as his blood began to flow through his fingers again. "It's called the Bane of Balthazar. It is a curse in my family's lineage that has shown up every two hundred years for over a millennium. They say Balthazar was the first. A hex placed on the son of one of my ancestors for mocking a witch who was muggle born. I myself had the unfortunate luck of carrying on my family's darkest legacy."

The Venetian looked back at Édouard, "So I tell you now Frenchman, listen well, for you will have my help. But know this. I will protect the knowledge of my affliction fiercely. Should the world learn of my family curse, I will burn the house of Partée to the ground."

"I also want you out of France," Édouard said.

"Deal," the Venetian whispered, "The dark wizards I have entrusted to help you with Azkaban will meet you this evening at night fall."

"I can't do that," Édouard said, "I need more time."

"No," The Venetian scolded, "If you want me to leave France, then today will be the only chance you get my help, otherwise you can do it on your own."

"Fine," Édouard agreed.

They turned to leave when The Venetian called out, "Wait."

Édouard slowly turned around, "What?"

"How did you find me here? Was I betrayed by one of my men?"

Édouard pointed his wand at Oliver and casted, "Accio!"

The gold coin tore out of Oliver's pocket and shot across the train car like a bullet. Édouard raised his hand and caught the golden tracker galleon out of the air. Turning to the Venetian, he placed the coin on the table and slid it towards him. "A tracking spell. We placed one on all the coins."

The Venetian leaned forward and picked the coin up off the table. He spun the coin a few times in his hand before placing the galleon in his pocket.

"Au revoir," Édouard said as he and the rest of the group crowded around Vert.

"Ciao," the Venetian calmly hissed.

There was a loud "crack" and the group of wizards that had crashed the Venetian's party, had vanished from the train car.

It was 4am by the time Édouard had apparated into his house. The exhausted wizard made his way into the kitchen where he found the meal that Christiane had prepared for him. Not having much of an appetite, he only took a few small bites before packing the food away into the refrigerator. His mind tirelessly ran over the logistics of trying to break into Azkaban. He never believed that they would actually find the vault so the actual prospect of breaking into Azkaban had never crossed his mind.

"How are we going to do it?" Édouard wondered as he made his way up the stairs. His legs ached with each step as he supported his body on the handrail. His mind churned over and over as questions plagued his mind, "We don't have any time to plan and was the Venetian going to double cross us?"

Édouard opened the door and made his way towards his walk in closet. Christiane was sleeping peacefully as she rolled over at the slight creek of the door opening. Changing out of his clothes and into his pajamas, he climbed into bed next to his wife, kissing her softly on the shoulder. Édouard could smell the lilac lotion she always used before she went to bed.

"Happy Anniversary mon amour," Christiane sighed peacefully as she rolled over and hugged her husband. She was fast asleep again with her head resting on his chest.

Édouard's heart stopped as he had realized his monumental dilemma. It was his anniversary and yet he was planning on breaking out Lestat from Azkaban. "How could I do both?" He thought as he lay on his back. The headlights from a passing car casted white squares on the ceiling that arced across the dark room. "What am I going to do?"


	4. Part 4

Chapter 33

The Choice

_May 15__th__, 1964_

Édouard's eyes opened to the bright sun of the afternoon. He reached out his arm and felt that the other side of the bed was empty. Rolling onto his side, he sat up and felt an aching pain across his chest where Samuel had landed on him.

A small white note on his nightstand read "I love you." Picking it up, Édouard smelt the intoxicating perfume that his wife would only wear on their anniversary. It was the same perfume that she had worn on the day of their wedding day.

Édouard got out of bed, showered and changed into his regular clothes before heading downstairs. There were no signs of Christiane or Timothee when he walked into the living room. Entering the dining room, there was a nice breakfast laid out with another note:

Dear, Édouard

I didn't want to wake you this morning. I hope you are well rested and ready to enjoy this delicious meal. I have a wonderful surprise for you this evening, Dinner is at six! Happy Anniversary, can you believe it has been five years? My how the time has passed .I wouldn't have wanted to share it with anyone else.

I Love You,

Christiane Renee Partée

Édouard smelt the note that was also delicately sprayed with his wife's perfume and placed it next to his plate. He enjoyed the ham, eggs and cinnamon roll that had been prepared for him and had polished off the entire plate rather quickly.

Édouard's mind continued to ponder his dilemma but with a full nights rest, he was able to think more clearly. He figured that Samuel would have conceived a decisive breakout plan and hoped that it would not take long. It was just a matter of convincing his wife that he needed to step out.

With a wave of his wand, Édouard cleared his plate and headed out to take care of a few errands. He picked up some flowers and Christiane's favorite chocolates from Honeydukes. With all the shopping complete well before 6pm, Édouard headed into the Ministry for a few hours of work. Both he and his wife had always requested off on the day of their anniversary but with the ever growing number of cases, he felt it was advantageous to get ahead on his work.

Vert wasn't in the Auror's department when Édouard arrived at his desk and he figured that the elf had requested off as well. Filling out a series of reports from the previous day, including one pertaining to his brief encounter at "Jean-Pierre's Magical Items," Édouard found that the day had passed rather quickly. Pulling out his watch, the hands read 5:45pm and so Édouard left the office and headed back home.

Apparating into his house, he heard Christiane getting ready upstairs. "Bonjour!" He called out.

"Bonjour!" Christiane called back.

Édouard walked up the stairs and into the bedroom where he found Christiane putting on the final touches to her makeup. She had gotten her hair styled at the hairdresser with a shorter layered cut and she was wearing a new blue backless dress. Her nails were manicured and so were her toes as she turned to her husband and held out her arms.

"You look divine," Édouard said with a grin.

Christiane struck a pose while playfully fluttering her eyes, "Really?"

Édouard walked forward and wrapped his arms around his wife. "Always," He answered and leaned in and kissed her. Pulling away, he saw that his wife's cheeks were flushed.

"Wow," she gasped as she fanned herself, "Is it warm in here?"

Édouard kissed her again before he walked out of the bathroom and into their closet. Changing out of his day clothes and into his fine dress robes, he walked out to greet his wife.

"You clean up well," Christiane said.

They walked down stairs where Édouard had strategically placed a bouquet of flowers and a heart shaped box of chocolates. Arm and arm they stood in the entrance hallway of their house where Édouard pulled out his wand. "Where are we going?"

"My treat for such a wonderful gift," Christiane said as she looked down at the small metallic heart shaped pendant that she wore around her neck. "Close your eyes!" She ordered, pulling out her wand from a blue designer handbag, and disapparated them out of the house.

"Okay," Christiane said, "It's safe to open your eyes now."

Édouard slowly opened his eyes and found that he was standing on a large cobblestone patio of a villa overlooking the French Riviera. The villa was high on a cliff overlooking a small town of brightly colored buildings of apricot, butterscotch and coral. Just beyond the town was an endless ocean of sapphire blue waters, dotted with tiny white sailboats that bobbed in the waves.

A small white table for two was set before them with a tall lean cream candle burning in the center. There were rows of finely polished silverware and tall round Bordeaux Cabernet drinking glasses.

"Bonjour!" Vert said in his deepest voice with a low bow. His ears flopped forward and hit the ground, knocking off his bowler cap. The small elf dove forward and grabbed his cap, securing it back onto his head. Vert was dressed in a very fine set of black tuxedo dress robes and had even penciled in a thin moustache over his upper lip that looked to be slanted. "Please, have a seat," he insisted.

Édouard couldn't help but laugh at the thin uneven moustache that the elf had drawn on his face. "So this is why you weren't in the department today."

The small elf looked up and gave a polite smile, "Tonight I am your serveur."

Chistiane and Édouard sat side by side facing the ocean and watched the sunset over the western horizon. The large orange star was partially blocked by a series of tall stone cliffs as it disappeared from sight. In the eastern horizon, the shades of night began to reach higher into the sky as stars began to shine forth.

"What do you think?" Christiane asked as she lowered her glass to Vert who filled it with a nice red wine.

"You have outdone yourself!" Édouard said with a smile and leaned in and kissed his wife, "How long have you been planning this?"

"A few months now," Christiane admitted, "I asked Vert if he would help and he was absolutely ecstatic. He asked if he could get dress robes and I happily agreed."

"Well you're in for a real treat. He is an exquisite cook." Édouard said.

The small patter of feet against stone came up from behind them as the small elf pulled out a chair and stood on top of it so that he could be seen. His expression was overly serious as he raised his hand to his mouth and politely cleared his throat, "For the first dishes of the night, we have a creamy goat cheese fondue, Quiche Lorraine, Portobello Puffs and a wonderful seafood medley in Phyllo pastry."

With a wave of his small hand, the dishes floated across the patio in a single file and landed gently onto the table. "Enjoy," Vert said as he bowed again, only this time he was careful enough to catch his hat before it fell.

"Thank you Monsieur Vert Partée," Christiane said with a slight bow of her head.

Vert hopped off the chair and ran back into the Villa where the sounds of pots and pans rattled from the kitchen.

"He looks like a miniature Dr. Watson," Édouard chuckled. "I can't get over his outfit."

Christiane couldn't help but laugh at the comment as she shook her head in agreement.

They enjoyed the abundance of food that they had been served while sipping on the wines that had been provided. They found the main course to be just as delectable but were overwhelmed at the amount of food that had been prepared. To their relief, dessert only consisted of one dish.

"Crème Brulee Flambé," Vert announced as two white ramekins came zipping out of the villa and onto the table. "Would you like the honor Monsieur?"

"Absolutely," Édouard said. Édouard pushed the two ramekins shaped like seashells together and pulled out his wand. With a small wave, the pastries lit with a brilliant red flame that twirled together like a growing vine until they formed a large red glowing heart.

"Magnifique!" Christiane said excitedly as she clapped her hands together. "What is that?" She asked. Looking inside the red flame, she saw something dangling inside.

"Go ahead," Édouard encouraged, "The flame won't hurt you."

Hesitant at first, Chrsitiane slowly reached into the beating red heart of flame and pulled out a long golden necklace with a round blue stone on the end. The flames subsided as the two perfectly torched Crème Brulee's crackled and let out a spectacular aroma.

"It's beautiful," Christiane murmured as she looked at the iridescent opal, "It twinkles like the night sky."

"I thought you would like it," Édouard said.

"Could you help me?" She asked.

Édouard grabbed the gold necklace and placed it around his wife's neck. The chain fell down to the same length of her heart shaped pendant. "I have never seen such a stone with so many colors before." She held up her blue wedding diamond to the large opal and watched as they both caught the candle light.

"It is incredibly rare," Édouard explained, "We will need to keep it in a vault when you are not wearing it."

"Do we have a vault?"

"I know of one," Édouard said, "A really good one."

"Oh look!" Christiane said as she pointed toward the night sky. A star fell in a brilliant ball of light before disappearing into the darkness. "It's your turn."

Édouard smiled and kissed his wife's cheek, "But…"

"No, this one is yours." She insisted.

Édouard closed his eyes and held his breath. After a few moments he exhaled slowly and opened his eyes.

"Was it a good one?" Christiane asked.

"Absolutely," He replied.

Édouard placed his arm around Christiane's shoulder and with his other hand he cracked open the caramelized top of the Crème Bulee. Taking a spoonful of the sugary desert, he fed it to his wife who let out a sound of pure satisfaction.

"You were right," Christiane said as she swallowed. "Vert is simply the best."

They sat in silence watching the small glowing lights of the tiny sailboats below as they floated in the ocean, making it hard to determine where the waters ended and the night sky began.

Édouard rested his hand over the candle flame and moved his fingers like a piano player, causing the ball of yellow light to spin and dance.

"My love," Christiane said as she continued to be mesmerized by the large blue stone on her necklace.

"Yes?" Édouard answered.

"I've been thinking it's time."

"Time?"

"Time for me to step back from the Auror's department. I was talking to Mama when I realized that we barely get to spend time as a family anymore. We used to do things like walks in the park, picnics, museums, even vacations. I miss those days.

Now, all we do is work. If I'm not working late, then you are. And now that we don't work together, we spend even less time together."

Édouard kissed his wife on the top of her head and gave her a gentle squeeze with his arm, "I know. I miss them too."

"It's just that our son is being raised by a stuffed bear and his grandmother when I could be the one raising him. Don't you agree?"

"I think that the Auror's department will always be there and we are lucky enough to be in a financial situation where either one of us could support the family by ourselves. If you want to take a step back, then there is no rule saying that you couldn't return later. Maybe when Timothee starts school at Pursang, you could return to the ministry, if you want. Who knows, we might have another little Partée in the family by then."

"Pursang?" Christiane said as she pulled away and looked at her husband, "Timothee is going to be a Beauxbaton, just like his mother, grandmother, and grandfather."

"We'll see about that," Édouard replied, "I'm sure he will get letters from both schools and he will pick the one best suited for him…" As he turned his head away, Édouard muttered "Pursang" before taking a sip of his wine.

"What was that?" Christiane asked.

"Oh, nothing," Édouard grinned as he set his wine glass down on the table and leaned in to give his wife another kiss.

"You know I have another surprise for us. Don't make me take it away." Christiane threatened with a smile.

"Of course not."

Christiane checked her wrist watch and saw that it was 9pm. "Are you ready to head back?"

"We're not staying here?" Édouard asked.

"Nope. Like I said, I have another surprise for us," She said before turning to the villa and calling, "Vert!"

Vert walked onto the patio to the applause of Édouard and Christiane and gave another deep bow.

"You are truly an exceptional chef, Monsieur Vert," Christiane praised.

"Wi," Édouard added, "Simply spectacular!"

"Merci beaucoup," Vert replied, "Will you be heading off?"

"I believe it is time," Christiane said with a happy sigh as she got to her feet.

Vert snapped his fingers and the two half eaten ramekins of dessert floated back into the villa. "I will pack away the leftovers and place them into your fridge."

"That would be wonderful," Édouard said as he got to his feet and stood next to Christiane.

Pulling out her wand from her purse, she held it forward and gave Vert a wink before there was a loud "crack" and they vanished.

Édouard and Christiane arrived back in their bedroom arm in arm. Édouard headed into the closet whilst Christiane went to use the loo and touched up her makeup.

"How long are we going to be gone?" Édouard asked.

"Just the weekend," Christiane answered.

"And what kind of weather should I pack for?"

"Local."

Édouard started to pack his clothes into a large brown suitcase when a quiet tapping came from the bedroom window.

"It's Chevalier," Christiane said as she went to the window and opened it for the large horned owl. The owl was brown and black with large yellow eyes that shone in the night, in his beak was a white envelope.

"What is it?" Édouard asked, exiting the closet with his luggage in tow.

Christiane walked over to Édouard and placed the letter into his hand.

At the top of the written letter was a large golden "M" with a wand pivoted in the middle. Below were the words "Ministry of Magic" with a return address from Whitehall, London.

"You're supposed to be off today," Christiane said as she tucked her blonde hair behind one of her ears.

"I know," Édouard said as he scanned the letter which personally requested his help. At the bottom of the note were the initials "S.R." to which Édouard surmised they stood for, "Samuel Redd."

"Well?" Christiane asked.

"Well what?" Édouard asked.

"You're not going to go are you?"

"I… I have to."

"But why? It's our anniversary. They can send someone else."

"I know, but if they requested me, then maybe it is important or maybe it has to do with a case that I am involved in. I doubt they will need me for very long. I'll be back in no time."

Christiane looked at her husband before she shook her head, "You know this is exactly what I was talking about at dinner. We are working so much that we can't spend a single night together without an interruption."

"I'm sorry," Édouard said as he walked back into the closet and pulled on his Auror's robes. The small golden galleon that Samuel had given him fell out of his pocket and onto the floor. Édouard bent over and picked it up and put it into his pocket. "I will be right back."

"That's not the point," Christiane said, crossing her arms.

"They requested me by name Christiane. I can't just turn down another ministry. How will it look on us if we don't honor our agreement to work together?"

"I don't like it."

"Me neither but it is part of our job," Édouard replied as he walked over and placed his hands on his wife's shoulders. He brought her in for a hug before placing a kiss on her forehead. His blue and green eyes meeting her large brown eyes, "I doubt I will be gone for more than an hour. I'm sure they will send me off right away once they find out that they interrupted me on our anniversary."

Christiane looked down at the blue stone around her neck, "Well do you want to know what the last surprise was?"

"Yes," Édouard said.

"Well since I was able to leave Timothée with my mother for the weekend, I made reservations for the Paris Monte Carlo, where we first met."

"You are too good to me," Édouard said before hugging his wife for a second time. "I promise I'll be back."

"I love you," She whispered.

"Mon amour," Édouard replied. He took a step away from his wife in his black Auor's robes and disapparated from the room, leaving Christiane alone.

Christiane stood by herself in the bedroom biting her lip in an attempt to stop from crying. She bit down hard but her lip continued to quiver until a single tear trickled down her cheek. It was the one night that they were supposed to be together and yet she felt a growing distance between her husband and her heart.

Chapter 34

Azkaban

Édouard arrived in the Goblin's Galleon where Samuel was sitting by himself, sipping a butterbeer. Instead of his usual clothing, he was wearing the official black robes of the Wizengamot.

"Bonjour!" Édouard called.

"Hi," Samuel replied, standing to his feet, "You ready?"

"What are we doing?" Édouard asked.

"We are getting Lestat and Mara."

"Yes, but how?"

"Come with me," Samuel beckoned and he grabbed Édouard's arm and they apparated out of the Goblin's Galleon.

The two wizards were standing in a dark cemetery. Looking around, Édouard recognized the familiar mausoleums of Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Rows upon rows of tombstones stretched over small bounding hills of green grass without a soul in sight.

"I know this place," Édouard realized, "My family has a mausoleum just up this road."

"It's secluded and muggles don't come here after dark." Samuel explained.

"So is this where the port key will take us?"

"Yes."

"What about Dementors," Édouard asked, "Azkaban is literally infested with those creatures. As guards they are truly the ultimate deterrent."

"I was stuck on that too, when I first came up with the idea of a breakout,"Samuel confessed, "But when I broke into the Ministry of Magic last month, to get Benedict's catalogue tome, I discovered something. Deep in the bowls of the Ministry, in the Department for Protected Magical Artifacts, I was lost amongst these tall bookshelves when the ground around me began to chill and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck begin to rise. To my horror, there was a Dementor on guard, prowling the dark corridors."

"What did you do?"

"I pulled out my wand and was ready to conjure my Patronus but the dark creature glided right past me and didn't even give me a second glance. I could not believe my eyes."

"How?"

"I wasn't me," Samuel explained, "I was Tiberius Ogden, senior member of the Wizengamot. I realized Dementors can't determine the difference between someone disguised as a council member and the actual council member."

"Polyjuice." Édouard said.

"Exactly. We will be disguising ourselves as a panel of ministry officials, sent in to inspect the condition of the prison and its prisoners."

"Wouldn't an inspection be a scheduled event? If we just show up, won't the Dementors get suspicious?"

"Not if an inspection was penciled in by Tiberius Ogden," Samuel grinned. "I left a magic quill on the minister's desk when I broke in. I can write all kinds of things in his planner."

"This plan seems to be well thought out," Édouard said, "But what about the hairs for the Polyjuice?"

Samuel opened one side of his robe exposing a series of glass vials that lined his inner coat, "Courtesy of the Venetian. The scary thing is that he already had these before I had proposed my plan. He doesn't only collect artifacts. He collects anything that could be of use to him, which includes the hair of every important witch or wizard he can get his hands on."

"Was he the one who gave you Lestat's hair when we first met?"

"He did."

"And my Brother's wand?" Édouard asked.

"That was in the custody of the ministry. I wouldn't lie about that. Did you bring Lestat's wand with you?"

"Yes." Édouard answered.

"Let me borrow it," Samuel said, "I'll make sure we can sneak it into Azkaban."

Édouard pulled out the wand and handed it to Samuel.

There was a loud "crack" behind Édouard and Samuel as a group of masked wizards and witches appeared out of thin air. They stood quietly with their eyes glaring behind their skull like masks.

Édouard wearily studied the new comers, "Who are they?"

"They are a relatively new group to emerge from England, they go by the name Death Eaters."

"Can we trust them?"

"I don't know, but they have the same vested interest in breaking out a few of their members from Azkaban."

The group of dark wizards and witches parted as a young girl with a cane and an elf walked forward.

"Vert, Nyima!" Édouard greeted. "Nyima what happened to your staff?"

"Transfigured," She answered, holding up the black cane. "Samuel think we might get it passed the Dementors if it doesn't look like a staff."

"Monsieur!" Vert said, "Ready to do this for family?"

Some of the Death Eaters mockingly laughed at the question.

A particularly tall masked Death Eater walked forward and impatiently asked, "Can we get started? I don't want to waste all night here."

"Sure," Samuel said, pulling out the vials of hair and handing them out. He reached into his bag and pulled out a series of small stoppered conical flasks and handed those out as well.

A Death Eater pulled off the stopper and took a wiff of the bubbling mud like substance inside. Quickly pulling his head away he asked, "What's in here mate?"

"Oliver?" Édouard said, recognizing the voice.

The Death Eater pulled off his mask, "It's me."

"I didn't know you were with the Death Eaters?" Samuel asked.

"With this lot? Not even in the slightest. I was sent by the Venetian to make sure they kept their end of the bargain. This group is all about 'pure bloods' and I'm about as dirty as they come."

"How can we trust you?" Édouard asked.

Oliver held up his open hands, "No crossed fingers and I can take off my boots if you want to look at my toes. No funny business on this one, I have strict orders."

Édouard took a step towards Oliver and pressed a finger into his chest, "If you step out of line once and put anyone of us in danger, I will have Vert turn you into a canary. Do I make myself clear?"

Oliver looked over at Vert, whose big glaring green eyes never strayed away. With a small snap of his fingers, Oliver turned away and let out a deep throttling cough. To his surprise, a yellow feather came bounding out of his mouth, "Crystal," he wheezed.

"And that goes for anyone else," Édouard shouted, "If you think you can double cross any of us, you have another thing coming. We will not hurt anyone. We are strictly in and out. Should you curse someone not in self-defense then Samuel and I will have no problem leaving you behind in a cell."

There were a series of jarring hisses of disdain from the group. It was obvious that the message had been received.

"Okay, now that we are all on the same page." Samuel said, "The identification of the person you will be pretending to be is written on the vial. Please place the hair provided into the beaker with the Polyjuice potion and pour it down the hatch."

Édouard pulled out a long straight white hair and placed it into his Polyjuice potion. The thick soupy liquid turned a shade of scarlet and smelt of peppermint. He was apprehensive at first until he looked around and saw that some of the potions had turned even more putrid with the addition of the hair. He downed the potion in two quick gulps, making sure to drain every drop. "That was not too bad," he said as he felt himself drop a solid foot in height. His blonde hair began to grow out of his head at an impeccable rate as it curled and grayed. His body became leaner and he felt a slight tremble in his right hand. Turning the vial in his hands he read the name Agaricus Constantine. He looked around at the group of wizards and noticed that they all had aged significantly. Only three of the Polyjuice identities were actually younger in age.

"You will need these." Tiberius Ogden said as he placed a set of large spectacles on Édouard's wrinkled face. Édouard adjusted his glasses and blinked a few times as Tiberius Ogden was slowly transformed back into Samuel.

"You like?" Samuel asked.

"I can see you," Édouard answered.

"I made them myself. They can see past the Polyjuice potion's effect." Samuel explained. He pulled out his wand and waved it over Édouard, causing his Auor's robes to turn into the black robes of the Wizengamot. "You are perfect now."

Nyima walked over to Samuel who handed her Lestat's wand. "I don't think they will ask for your staff if you hand over this wand but you have to be careful with it."

"I will treat it like my staff," She replied, her Asian accent still touching each word that she spoke.

"We still sound the same," Édouard said.

"Yes," Samuel agreed, "The Polyjuice only works on form alone. We will have to be careful not to speak unless spoken too. I know that is going to be hard but we will have to leave most of the talking to our British counterparts."

Vert walked forward wearing a tattered old sack instead of his black robes. His nose seemed to droop on his face and his big green eyes were now black.

"Gork," He muttered in a contemptuous voice.

"He is my house-elf," Samuel said.

"Gork will serve his master," Vert said.

"Everyone ready?" Samuel asked.

There was a general nod across the group as they all came together in a tight circle.

"I almost forgot," Samuel said as he smacked his hand on his forehead. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out three writing pads, three quills and three bottles of ink. "Where are the interns?

Two young wizards and a witch stepped forward form the group of Death Eaters.

"These are for you," Samuel explained as he gave each one of them a writing pad, a quill and a bottle of ink. "Under no condition are you to use them. Is that clear? Especially the ink bottles."

The younger wizards nodded their head as they took the items and stepped back into the crowd.

"Okay," Samuel addressed, "Vert is going to take us to a few different locations before we arrive at Azkaban. Don't be alarmed, this will prevent the Ministry from tracking our arrival, "Ready Vert? Or should I say Gork?"

"Yes master," Vert replied in a raspy voice.

Édouard felt his stomach turn as they vanished from the cemetery and arrived on a quiet suburban street. The hedges were neatly trimmed and rows of brown brick houses lined the street on either side. A small rectangular sign with black boarders and a white background was posted in front of them with the words "Privet Drive" written in black.

"Oh, boy," Édouard said as he put a hand to his stomach. He felt queasy after apparating on a full stomach of food and polyjuice.

Nyima looked around and saw the large yellow eyes of an owl in a tree. The owl turned to the group and made a soft "Hoo," as it hooted.

Samuel could over hear Oliver behind him talking about a muggle that "lived" on this street who owed him three pounds.

"Hold on!" Vert said and there was another loud "crack!"

High above them, the moon had moved in the sky as they found themselves standing in a large open field of short cut grass. On the far sides of the field there were three tall polls with rings on the end. Great shadows were cast in the moonlight from empty stadium seating that were decorated in checkered patterns of scarlet and gold, yellow and black, blue and bronze, and green with silver.

"We're on a quidditch pitch," one of the Death eaters said.

"And we're home," Another replied as he pointed to a large castle on a hilltop.

"Ready yourselves," Samuel said, "we're headed into Azkaban."

"This is it," Vert said and the group disapparated from the pitch.

So, for the third and final time, there was another "crack" and the group of wizards and witches found themselves on the rocky black grounds of Azkaban. Large swells rolled and crashed as they hit the large boulders that lined the wizarding prison, sending grey columns of water high into the black night sky. Black robed figures floated high above in the cloudy night in a large circle. The prison itself was a tall black thirteen story stone tower with black slits for windows. The screams of the insane carried in the wind, revealing the chilling conditions inside. There was an invisible force coming from the building that felt cold and hopeless. Édouard placed a hand on his chest as he felt a physical weight on his heart. The prospect of success seemed to fade from his mind like a foggy memory that was replaced with despair.

"We're here," Samuel said with a shudder.

Chapter 35

Breakout

They walked past a small cemetery where two Dementors were dragging a pale, frail body into a hole in the ground. The face was covered by a long matted black hair and the clothes looked warn to tatters.

Walking up the path a short distance, they reached the narthex of Azkaban with its one large iron door. At the apex of the door was a skull carved in stone. The black hollow eyes seemed to give a weary warning as they stared down at all those who dared to enter. Nyima and Vert visibly swallowed as they looked into cold stone face above. Samuel walked up to the door and hit a knocker three times. The large door began to lift to the sounds of heavy chains rattling and large gears grinding.

They entered the prison and found it to be just as dark and dreary as the grounds surrounding it. It was even colder inside the entrance as frost accumulated on the stones and icicles dangled from the ceiling. Two Dementors stood at the end of the long bleak entrance hallway with their faces hidden by their black wispy robes that danced like cobwebs in the wind. Behind them was a rotted wooden door.

"Wands," One of the Dementors said in a long raspy drawn out whisper.

The second Dementor pointed a long pale white scabby hand towards a dark metal chest.

One by one, the wizards and witches surrendered their wands, leaving them even more defenseless as they huddled a little bit closer. The fear was palpable in the air as no one blinked and everyone kept completely silent.

Samuel walked over and placed his wand into the chest when the Dementor at the chest stopped him and hissed, "bag!" in its cold voice.

"This?" Samuel chuckled nervously. "There is nothing in here."

"Bag!" the Dementor demanded as it leaned in closer towards Samuel.

Samuel felt the air around his body get colder. Nervously, he placed the bag into the chest and walked over and stood next to Édouard and whispered, "Well there goes the exit strategy."

"What do you mean?" Édouard said.

"The portrait of Ekrizdis that was supposed to get us out of here, it is in my letterman's bag."

Édouard ran his hand nervously through his grey white hair and muttered, "Ah bon."

Like Samuel had predicted, after Nyima had turned over a wand, the Dementors let her keep her staff, which she had transfigured into a cane.

Oliver was last in line to submit his wand. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a wooden wand and placed it into the black chest. Looking over at Édouard, he gave him a sly wink as he raised a finger to his mouth in a "shushing" motion. Something metallic glinted in his hand as he walked over to the group and took his spot.

Once all the wizards had submitted their wands to the Dementors, Oliver walked forward and in an elderly voice asked, "Let the inspection begin."

"He's the British prime Minister of Magic, Nobby Leach" Édouard thought as he peered over the top of his glasses.

A Dementor floated over to the wooden door and whispered "Enter," as it swung open. The door creaked and moaned as it opened, revealing a daunting labyrinth of stairs and black passages. The main chamber of Azkaban looked like the Chand Baori stepwell with thirteen terraced stories of rows upon rows of daunting stairwells that branched off each other all the way to the top.

"Blimey," Oliver whispered. Dementors floated across the large open chasm and into the various passageways of each floor. Once disappearing into the black tunnels, screams began to echo from within.

"We request to see floor five, cell fifteen," Édouard said but before the Dementor could oblige, three loud knocks came from the entrance at the other end of the hall.

The door began to slowly lift open as a large chain on either side began to run from the ceiling into a hole in the ground.

"I can't believe they requested an inspection so late at night," the voice of an old distinguished man chided,

Édouard and Samuel watched as the door slowly revealed a group of shiny black shoes, followed by multiple sets of black slacks and dress robes.

"I apologize Mr. Leach. I didn't see the meeting scheduled yesterday otherwise I would have moved it." A younger voice replied apologetically.

"Oh no," Samuel thought as the door fully opened, revealing another group of wizards entering Azkaban.

The Nobby Leach at the entrance locked eyes with his exact copy inside and took a step forward while the Nobby Leach already inside Azkaban did the same. They stared at each other for a long moment, unable to comprehend the situation.

"Imposter!" The Nobby Leach yelled as he pointed from the entrance. "Imposter!"

The Dementor standing at the black chest slammed it shut while his counterpart extended a long gnarled hand towards Oliver. Whipping out his spoon, there was a great flash, causing the Dementor to reel back. The ministry officials at the entrance covered their eyes, while others pulled out their wands.

"RUN!" Samuel shouted from the top of his lungs as spells began to fly over his head. They ran into the main atrium, closing the door behind them.

"We need to reach the fifth floor!" Samuel yelled.

"We don't have any wands!" One of the Death Eaters cried as he watched the Dementors pour out of the passages and descend below. Their low chilling moans echoed through the passages as the ground around the wizards began to freeze.

"My legs already hurt, how long will we be like this?" Nyima asked as she removed the transfiguration spell from her staff.

"We only took enough Polyjuice for an hour," Samuel called back as he reached the second floor.

Édouard was following close behind Samuel when they passed a passage on the second floor. He felt a cold wind blowing from the passage when a dark robed figure flew out with his gaping black mouth open. Édouard felt cold and alone as his vision began to fade to black.

"Expecto Patronum!" Nyima yelled from the first floor.

Édouard felt himself begin to fall when a blue ethereal owl flew past him and crashed into the Dementor, sending the creature flying across the great open atrium. Two arms propped him up in his back, followed by Oliver's voice saying, "That was a close one mate! You have to be more careful."

Nodding his head in agreement, Édouard made his way up towards the third floor.

Nyima's Patronus continued to fly around the room, screeching as it flew, forcing the Dementors to keep their distance as they moaned hungrily in the open air.

"Cast your patronus! None of us have our wands!" A Death Eater ordered Oliver.

Oliver lifted his spoon into the air and called out, "Expecto Patronum!" but instead of an ethereal animal coming forth; there was a dull blue light from the tip of his spoon that quickly dissipated.

"You don't know how to cast a Patronus?" The Death Eater asked as his expression of panic intensified.

"I never went to wizarding school. I never learned how!" Oliver said, bounding up the stairs and passing the third floor.

"Think of your happiest moment!" Samuel shouted over his shoulder as he passed the fourth floor and quickly climbed up towards the fifth.

"Expecto Patronum!" Oliver casted for a second time but still there was no success.

The group was filing into a dark passage on the fifth floor of the atrium where the walls were lined with small cell doors on both sides. There was barely enough light to see and so Oliver illuminated his spoon. Rows of dirty hands reached out of feeding slits as prisoners pleaded to be released. Some pressed their mouths to the small openings and begged endlessly for freedom. It was at this time that the powerful Patronus that Nyima had casted started to fade and the Dementors rushed in for a second time. They came in a cold wave of howling death with their pale outstretched hands greedily reaching forward.

Nyima stood at the rear of the group, waiting at the entrance to the passage with her staff in both hands. "Protego!" She shouted as she held the staff over her head and brought it down to the ground with a hard strike. The incoming Dementors hit the invisible force field and rebounded off of it.

"Vert!" Édouard yelled and the small elf came running from the front of the group.

"Yes Monsieur?" he said.

"We need our wands! Can you get them for us?"

"Yes Monsieur!" the elf replied and snapped his fingers but to no success. "I can't apparate in here!"

"Wards," Édouard grumbled.

Vert looked around and saw a small rusted grate in the floor. The small elf ran over and wrapped his fingers around the grate in the floor and pulled it up with all his strength. The rusted metal chipped and screeched as it opened. Below was a small round hole about the size of a dinner plate to which Vert poked his head in and looked around. "I'll be back monsieur!" He said as he jumped down and disappeared into a small sewer tunnel.

Édouard looked back at Nyima and saw that the Dementors were no longer charging the shield charm but had their mouths pressed to it. They slowly sucked the energy from Nyima in small wisps as they let out their terrifying dark moans. She seemed to be holding for now but Édouard did not know how long she could last.

"Édouard!" Samuel's voice shouted from the front of the group.

Édouard made his way passed the Death Eaters towards Samuel. "What is it?" he asked.

Samuel pointed to a nameplate on a door, which read "Partée."

"How do we get it open?"

Samuel looked at the group of Death Eaters until he spotted one of the younger wizards he had given the quill, the parchment and the ink to. "You," he said with a point. "Give me the quill!"

The Death Eater reached into one of the pockets in his robes and pulled out a long golden quill. Samuel took the quill from the wizard and placed it into the space between the wall and the door. "I enchanted it," He explained as he ran the quill down the crack, towards the lock. Sparks flew from the door as the golden quill turned a brilliant shade of orange. Samuel had to push down with both hands when he reached the lock of the door. There was a harsh grinding sound as the feather pushed past the lock, before there was an audible "clink!"

A tall emaciated wizard with blonde hair barged out of the room and wrapped his arms around Édouard, "Brother," the wizard cried. Édouard looked at the gaunt face, deep sunken blue green eyes and thinned blonde hair.

"Lestat," Édouard whispered as he hugged his brother.

"I knew you would come for me," Lestat said as he began to sob. "I knew you would."

Still embracing his brother, Édouard looked at Samuel and gave him a thoughtful nod.

"Ok! One down," Samuel said. "The others are one floor below us."

Samuel looked passed the group towards Nyima who was resting all her wait upon her staff. She looked weakened as her body began to sway. The Dementors on the other side of her shield charm were able to get their hands through as the shield began to fade. "Oliver! We need you to cast a Patronus!"

Oliver turned towards the Dementors and closed his eyes. Taking three deep breathes he raised his spoon into the air and casted "Expecto Patronum!" but for a third time, the spell failed to produce anything more than a dull glowing light. "I can't!" he shouted in frustration, "I just can't!"

"Your happiest moment!" Samuel said as he turned back to the young Death Eater, "I need the notebook and the ink bottle."

The young Death Eater handed over both items immediately and Samuel took the notebook and handed it to Oliver. "You need to get Nyima, I don't know how long she will last. Open this book and light it with a fire spell. Do not look at the book directly!"

"Will do," Oliver said and disappeared into the group.

Samuel took the ink bottle and ran into Lestat's cell and uncorked the top. The others crowded the door and watched as he slowly poured out the black liquid in a large circle. As the ink hit the ground it hissed, bubbled, smoked and gave out the smell of rotten eggs. Slowly the ring in the ground became deeper and deeper as it chewed its way through the stone. Within seconds the ground gave way into the cell below. "Édouard, let's go!" Samuel called with a wave and disappeared into the large hole in the floor.

Édouard lowered Lestat down into the cell below with the help of the other wizards when a brilliant flash of light came from the hallway behind him. He turned in time to see Oliver rush into the room with Nyima propped up with her arm over his shoulders.

"Quickly!" Oliver said as he lowered the weakened witch down through the hole in the floor.

Édouard and Oliver climbed into the cell below at the same time. They saw a wizard in ragged clothing rocking back and forth in the corner, mumbling in constant gibberish. At the door, Samuel had finished cutting through it with the feather and had entered the hallway. He handed out the other two feathers to the Death Eaters and had them follow him down the hall. Another Death Eater headed off in the same direction while supporting Nyima.

"Should we grab him?" Édouard asked, pointing to the wizard in the corner.

"No hope for that one mate," Oliver replied.

The moans of Dementors echoed louder and louder as they came from the cell above.

"No, we should bring him with us!" Édouard said.

Oliver grabbed Édouard by the shoulders, "Where do you think you are? A hospital? This is Azkaban! He could be some raging dark wizard for all we know!"

They ran out of the cell just as the first Dementor descended. Closing the cell door behind them, they felt the steel instantly go cold. A shriek of utter terror came from inside the cell but quickly fell silent to the sounds of more hollow moans.

"Keep it shut!" Édouard said as he pressed a shoulder against the cell door. He felt the Dementors on the other side pushing against it. Oliver and two more Death Eaters put their shoulder to the cell door in an attempt to keep it shut but they felt their feet slipping against the stone floor.

"We can't hold this for long!" Oliver said through gritted teeth.

Édouard strained as he pressed hard on the cold iron door. He could feel his skin sticking to the freezing metal as ferns of frost grew along its edges, "Do you still have your second wand?" he strained.

"Yes, but if I reach for it, they will come through!"

"Lestat!" Édouard called.

"Wi," Lestat replied as he began to push with the others.

"Use the spoon in Oliver's pocket to weld the door shut!"

Lestat plunged his hand into Oliver's pocket but found nothing.

"The other pocket!" Oliver winced.

Lestat found the spoon wrapped in werewolf hair and jammed it into the space between the door and the frame and shouted "Incendio!"

The iron around the spoon glowed a bright orange as the metal door fused to the frame. Lestat pulled his hand away and waved it in the air as a long blistering burn ran across his palm.

The handle of the spoon protruded from the fused gap and glowed red hot as the werewolf whisker burned off in small cinders.

They were hesitant as they pulled their weight off the door and found that it had stuck. One of the Dementors pressed his mouth to the slit in the door and began to suck in their life force before Oliver grabbed a lever and slammed it shut. Édouard and Oliver looked at each other as they heard the Dementors coming down the passage.

"We need to keep moving!" Lestat said as he cradled his burned hand.

They ran down the passage in the direction that Samuel had run off towards. Rounding a bend, Édouard found Samuel with three more free prisoners that he did not recognize.

"I was just coming to get you." Samuel said.

"They're right behind us!" Édouard shouted.

Samuel led them into another cell that had the floor burned out in a large circle. Pulling out one of the notebooks, he tossed it down the hall. "You know what to do!" he said to Oliver.

Oliver nodded and pulled out his spoon.

"I'll place the second book in the cell below. Light it when they come in." Samuel ordered before jumping down into the hole. He hit the uneven rocks below and felt his ankle twist violently to one side. Letting out a pained cry, he rolled onto all fours.

"You okay?" Édouard asked.

"I'll be fine," Samuel winced as he got to his feet and limped out of the cell. Over his head, he saw the white flash of light coming from the hole above.

"Who's next?" Édouard asked as he helped Nyima to her feet. The witch was still slowly recovering her energy from the Dementor's brutal kiss.

"Mara is on this floor!" Samuel answered and limped down the corridor. Samuel frantically searched the names on the door as he made his way down the dark passage. Looking around he read each name plate aloud. His heart leapt when his eyes landed on a small cell door with the name "Redd" inscribed on it.

"I'm here Love!" He yelled through the food slit in the door but he got no response. Looking into the small opening he saw a small figure of a woman huddled in the corner. "Mara!" He called again but there was no response. He looked up at Édouard with a concerned look, "Let's get her out!"

Édouard helped Nyima sit down across from the cell door and placed her staff by her side.

Samuel handed the quill to Édouard who proceeded to place it into the gap of the door and pressed down. There was a small shower of sparks until he burned half way through the lock and the feather ceased to cut. Pulling out the quill, it looked charred, like a tree that had been struck by lightning.

"What happened?" Édouard said, showing Samuel the feather.

"The enchantment has run out." Samuel answered, "Get one of the other feathers quickly!"

Édouard ran to a group of Death Eaters who were huddled around a door they had just finished cutting through. They pulled out the Feather as they finished the cut and found that it was charred black.

"Do you have the other quill?" Édouard asked.

"No," The Death Eater answered as he stood from the door and swung it open.

"But there were two?"

"Look," The Death Eater said as he pointed to another charred quill under Édouard's foot.

"You used both of them?!" Édouard shouted.

The other Death Eater stood to his feet, "We had no choice! What does it matter anyways? This was the last cell we needed to break into."

"We couldn't get the other cell open. I came here to get the spare quill."

"Well tough luck, there is nothing I can do."

Édouard looked at the door and read the name "Spoon" written on the nameplate. He cocked his head and peered through the door, "Who's in here?"

"I don't know," The Death Eater replied, "He wasn't one of ours."

Inside the cell stood a wizard who looked to be in his thirties with long black hair, a thick black beard and worn grey robes.

"Who are you?" The wizard asked from inside the cell.

"I'm here to break you out," Édouard answered. "Do you know Samuel Spoon?"

"Samuel is here?" The wizard said with a glimmer of light in his voice.

"Yes," Édouard said, "He's just down the hall if you come with us!"

Édouard, the Death Eaters and the prisoners ran back towards Samuel and Nyima.

"Do you have the quill?" Samuel asked as he saw Édouard and the Death Eaters approach.

Édouard knelt down and shook his head, "They both burned out."

"NO!" Samuel yelled as he smashed his fist against the metal door. The door made a hollow gong sound as it vibrated from the blow.

"Sam?" A voice whispered from inside the cell, "Is that really you?"

"I'm here!" he shouted, pressing his face towards the open slit.

Out of nowhere Nyima pushed Samuel out of the way and held up her staff, "Reducto!" she yelled as a powerful blast hit the metal cell door. There was a long metallic "thung!" as the door bent askew but didn't open.

"Reducto!" She shouted over and over as the magically reinforced door slowly started to bend.

"Again!" Samuel shouted.

"Reducto!" Nyima shouted one last time, striking the door itself with her staff as she called out the spell. There was a loud crack and the door to the cell fired open in a gnarled mass of steel.

Samuel ran into the room and grabbed the frail woman who was standing nervously at the other end of the room. He hugged her tight as he buried his head into her neck and whispered, "I'm here."

Mara looked to be just as frail as the other prisoners that they had freed. Her face looked tired and gaunt while her limbs were thinned by hunger. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as she felt her husband's warm body pressed against hers. The tears streaming down her face cleared away the dirt on her caramel skin.

"You came for me." Mara feebly whispered.

"I'm sorry it took so long," Samuel whispered as he looked into his wife's big beautiful brown eyes. "I Love you."

"I love you too," She replied and squeezed him even harder, the strength of will slowly returning to her.

Édouard watched as Samuel held his wife for the first time in years. He looked over to his brother who watched them embrace. "We did it."

"Yes brother!" Lestat grinned as he walked over and placed a hand on Édouards shoulder, "You did it."

"Trouble!" Oliver's voice screamed as he rounded the corner of the stone hallway. The sounds of the Dementors were deafening there were so many of dark creatures.

Nyima grabbed her staff and pointed it towards the avalanche of black robes hurtling towards them. "Expecto Patronum!" she casted but as the blue ethereal owl hit the Dementors and melted away like a snowflake on a warm hand. "I'm too weak."

"Can you give us just a few seconds Nyima?" Samuel asked from the cell as he pulled out the third and final ink bottle.

"I'll do my best!" She answered, gripping her staff a little tighter.

The Dementors hit Nyimas shield charm like a battering ram, causing the spell to ripple waves of blue as the creatures clawed at it ferociously.

"Merlin's beard," A Death Eater gasped, "There are so many of them!"

"Stand in the hallway honey!" Samuel said as he uncorked the ink bottle and began to pour it in a large circle on the floor.

"I don't want to leave your side!" Mara protested, "I never want to leave your side again."

Samuel looked at his wife, "You won't have to."

Samuel walked his wife out of the cell, holding her close under his arms while three of the Death Eaters walked in and watched as the ink chewed away at the floor. The familiar smell of rotten eggs emanated from the liquid as it hissed and popped.

"Do you hear that?" One of the Death Eaters said inside the cell as they all leaned in closer to the burning circle.

Something muffled seemed to be coming out from underneath the stone cell floor.

"What is that?" One of the Death Eaters asked but before they could figure out what was going on, the floor dropped out and Dementors poured in from the cell below like roaches. Their pale scabby hands grabbed the Death Eaters and dragged them into the sea of black hungry mouths.

"Close the door!" Samuel shrieked as the screams of the Death Eaters in the cell quickly vanished with their bodies.

Three Death Eaters tried to close the door but the door was too gnarled to keep completely shut. The pale hands of the Dementors reached through the openings while their large open black mouths began to suck the very life essence of those within the room.

"We're trapped!" A Death Eater yelled as he pressed against the door with all his strength.

Oliver looked back and forth from Nyima to the cell door where another Death Eater fell to the ground unconscious. He watched as a bearded prisoner rushed to the aid of those trying to keep the door shut. He recognized the wizard but was not sure if his eyes were deceiving him.

"Danny?" He called.

The bearded wizard looked up and locked eyes with Samuel, "Brother help!" he shouted through his clenched teeth. "We can't hold them much longer!"

Oliver felt his pulse quicken as he closed his eyes and squeezed the spoon in his hand.

Chapter 36

The Happiest Memory

_December 25, 1940_

Two small boys, ages nine and six, sat next to each other in a London orphanage cafeteria filled with small children. They wore dirty grey button down coats and grey shorts, even though it was the dead of winter. Their leather boots were old with holes in the soles and their socks were pulled all the way up to cover as much of their legs as possible. Their skinned red knees poked out between their shorts and theirs socks as they sat at a long table with the other kids.

The sounds of spoons clinking in bowls chattered in the air as the children hungrily slurped down their only meal for the day. It was supposed to be warm chicken vegetable soup but with Britain and the rest of the world in their second great war, the soup was merely a warm broth scarcely accentuated with vegetables.

"I'm still hungry," Daniel said as he looked over to his big brother Oliver who had also finished his meal of broth. Oliver was lucky enough to get part of a sliced carrot in his soup while his brother had only received the warm yellow oily broth. Taking out the carrot from his soup, Oliver gave it to his little brother who happily accepted.

"I wish we could have more," Oliver said wishfully.

"Bill swears he had a piece of chicken in his soup once," Daniel said as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The broth had left a clean spot around his mouth while the rest of his face was still darkened by dirt.

"Bill is a chicken," Oliver replied as he peered down at his empty bowl. He twirled his silver spoon in the bowl and watched as it reflected the light.

Daniel watched his big brother as he played with his most prized possession, "Did you know that it is Christmas today brother?"

"So what?" Oliver replied.

"Well, I got you something," Daniel said happily as he reached into his coat and pulled out an empty thread reel and placed it onto the table.

"A lot of use this is," Oliver said as he picked up the plain wooden reel in his fingers and placed it back on the table, "You might as well give me a bogey for Christmas."

"That's not all," Daniel said as he dug into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a small pine twig. Picking up the thread reel, he placed it on its side and put the bottom of the twig through the hole in the top. Removing his hand, the small pine twig stood upright by itself.

"What is it?"

"A Christmas tree!" Daniel explained merrily, as he twirled the pine twig around on the spool.

Oliver smiled and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and kissed him on the top of his small head, "Thanks, bogey breath!"

"You're welcome Bum face!" Daniel shouted back.

"I have something for you too." Oliver said, reaching into his coat, "Close your eyes."

"What is it?" Daniel asked as he hopped up and down on his bench.

"Okay, open them!"

Daniel opened his eyes to a silver spoon resting on the table in front of him. "But you love your spoon?"

"I do," Oliver said, as he lifted his spoon up in his hand.

"You got me a silver spoon?" Daniel said in awe as he picked it up and examined it.

"I found it the other day looking through some rubbish, figured we could be the Spoon brothers." Oliver explained.

"Spoon brothers!" Daniel shouted and raised his silver spoon towards Oliver's. They clinked their spoons in the air.

Daniel's stomach let out a long audible rolling growl of hunger. Looking down, he placed a hand on his stomach, "I wish we had more food to eat."

"Me too," Oliver said as he dropped his spoon in his bowl but instead of the empty "clink" there was a loud "galloup!"

Daniel's jaw dropped as he raised his head and looked over the top of Oliver's bowl. To their amazement, the bowl was filled to the brim with soup. The soup was loaded with large chunks of chicken, quarter slices of potato, celery and even half a carrot.

"You have a magic spoon!" Daniel whispered in shock.

Oliver's head quickly shot around to make sure no one had seen what had happened but the small girl next to him had also seen what had taken place and looked on in amazement.

"Did you really just do that?" The girl asked.

"I don't know. It just kind of happened."

Daniel leaned forward in his seat and asked, "Do you want some?"

"Absolutely!" The girl replied.

Oliver quickly shot a glance at his little brother who shrugged his shoulders and said, "It's Christmas."

Oliver grinned before looking back at the full bowl of hearty soup. He divided his soup evenly amongst himself, his brother and the girl.

Oliver extended his hand towards the little girl and said, "Oliver."

"Rose," the little girl replied and shook Oliver's hand.

The three children ate their meal with absolute delight and with full stomachs they began to share stories and laugh.

Chapter 37

Azkaban

_May 15__th__ 1964_

Oliver's eyes shot open as he raised his silver spoon towards the groaning Dementors and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"

A blinding blue light flashed from the tip of his spoon as a massive ethereal wolf came bounding from the end. Its jaws gnashed and snapped as it charged right through Nyima's shield and smashed the Dementors clear out of the passage. The wolf let out a thunderous howl as it turned around and bounded into the cell where the Dementors were trying to force their way in. Within a matter of seconds the path was clear again.

"Danny!" Oliver said as he walked over and extended a hand to his little brother.

"Oliver, you came back for me," Daniel said in disbelief.

"Yes." Oliver said with a large smile. He reached in and gave his brother another long embrace.

"Let's go before they come back!" Édouard beckoned as he ran down the passage and towards the main atrium. The others followed behind, with some of the Death Eaters who had passed out needing their assistance.

They entered the main atrium of Azkaban and towards the main exit when they were stopped by the very group of wizards they had been imitating.

"Imposters!" Nobby Leach bellowed, his voice echoing the steep sloping stepped walls. "I will not stand for this!"

Samuel grabbed Mara and held her close in his arms while Édouard stood in front of Lestat with his arms spread wide.

Oliver handed his spoon over to Daniel who looked down at the tarnished silver, "But this one is yours."

"You can have it," Oliver said, "Yours was destroyed in the passages. I will make a new one if we make it out of here alive."

They formed a tight group in the middle of the towering atrium, unsure of what fate would have in store for them.

High above their heads, the Dementors flew in a large rotating funnel like a massive school of hungry sharks. Their moans created a dreadful symphony of cold hopelessness as they chilled the air. In such an innumerable group, they cooled the air so much that snowflakes began to drift down from above.

"We cannot stop that no matter how many Patronuses we cast," One of the Death Eaters said as he looked at the black rotating funnel above their heads.

"You will all be tried for the crimes you have committed here! Breaking out prisoners of Azkaban is a direct offense against the ministry!" Nobby Leach boomed furiously as his face turned red and the fat under his chin jiggled. The older council members of the Wizengamot kept their wands trained on the group of imitators whose PolyJuice potion was now starting to wear off.

"Psst," A voice called from under Lestat's feet.

Lestat moved his bare foot off of a grate and saw two big green eyes staring at him from below, "Vert?"

"Hello Monsieur!" Vert whispered.

Lestat tugged on the back of Édouard's robes, causing Édouard to look back. Gesturing with his eyes, Lestat pointed towards the floor.

"Step back," Vert whispered as he pressed both his hands to the grate.

It all felt like the world began to move in slow motion as Édouard and Lestat took a step back from the grate at their feet. In a loud explosion, the rusted metal grate fired high into the atrium as Vert was launched out of the sewer and into the air. Turning in mid air, the elf threw Samuel his letterman's bag before snapping his fingers. Instantly every single member of his party was armed with their wands again.

"Protego!" Édouard and Lestat shouted in unison. Their shield spells blocked the incoming spells that were launched from the senior members of the Wizengamot. White, red and green glowing orbs of light hit the blue wall and bounced off at obtuse angles.

As if they were all of one mind, the storm of Dementors descended like an avalanche of black death.

"Everyone on me!" Samuel shouted before reaching into his bag and pulling out the portrait of Ezkridis. They all grabbed the portrait at once, feeling a sudden pull in the pit of their stomach. Within a blink of an eye, they had all vanished from the grand atrium of Azkaban.

Chapter 38

Fugitive

Christiane sat in her bedroom windowsill and watched the city of Paris as the lights seemed to twinkle on the night horizon, creating a glow in the sky above. In the distance, the Eiffel tower glowed like a beacon of light. The passing of cars and the chatter of people walking on the sidewalk below felt oddly soothing as the weight on her heart continued to press down. It was hard for her to swallow, as if something large sat in her throat. She promised herself she would not cry.

Their marriage had been strained these past few months as their taxing jobs at the Ministry of Magic required more and more of their time. Christiane barely had enough time to see their son Tomothée, and even less time to see her husband Édouard. She loved them both dearly but it felt as if they were all drifting apart. She figured this night, their anniversary, would be a way to rekindle the flames of their love that seemed to have been smothered by their busy lives.

Her fingers danced over a large wine glass causing it to swirl until it generated a small crystalline figure skater who gracefully glided on the surface of the white wine. It was a spell she had mastered years ago as a child and was still her favorite. She hummed peacefully and rocked her head from side to side as the dancer twirled and leaped on the rippling clear surface.

Christiane's concentration was broken when a large white owl landed on the windowsill next to her with a letter in its' beak.

"Belle Dame," Christiane smiled as she stroked the feathers on the bird's head, coaxing it to drop the letter.

Upon hitting the ground, the letter opened itself and floated to eye level before folding itself into a mouth. With a deep masculine voice, the mouth began to talk. "Christiane, it's your father Javert. I need you at the ministry immediately! Do not tell Édouard of your whereabouts!"

Christiane walked into the Ministry Le France in her black robe with blue trim. A small gold fleur-de-lis was embroidered onto the chest of her robe over her heart.

"Salut," Javert greeted as he walked from the table and placed a kiss on his daughter's forehead.

"Bonjour papa," She replied.

"I am glad you can make it. I am sorry I had to pull you away from your husband on such an important night but I need you," Javert said with a look of concern on his face.

"It is ok. He was called away on foreign ministry duty as well."

Javert turned and walked back towards the table, "There was a recent prison break from Azkaban and a handful of dark wizards have managed to escape."

"What does that have to do with us?"

"Some of them might be French and sources indicate that they would have been headed back to Paris. We think that the recent dark activity around the city may have all been part of a greater plan to break these criminals from prison."

"What does this have to do with Édouard?"

Louis walked forward with a series of papers in his hands.

"Louis, you are back!" Christiane said excitedly.

"Yes Madam," Louis replied as he returned the smile and laid the papers he was carrying onto the table. "These were recently sent over from Azkaban."

Christiane scanned the pictures until her eyes fell onto the last face in the row. The man looked starved with sunken baggy eyes and dirty blonde hair. His eyes were a piercing blue with flecks of green that seemed to almost glow. Azkaban had hardened the man and even now his gaze seemed to chill the nerves of everyone in the room. Below his picture it said "Wanted for the murder of three muggles."

Javert walked behind his daughter and placed a large hand on her shoulder, "Because one of the prisoners who escaped was Lestat Partée, Édouard's twin brother. His relation to the fugitive would compromise the mission."

"Well I will have to tell him eventually," Christiane demanded, feeling uncomfortable with the change in the situation.

"I know, but not until we have Lestat back in custody." Javert ordered. "We believe that if they come back to the city, they will go somewhere secluded at night. Do you know where that might be?"

"I don't. Paris is just as active in the night as it is in the day." Christiane said.

"Pere Lachaise Cemetery,"

"That would make sense. It's a very isolated location where no one can walk up on them except for the occasional ghost," Christiane said, hoping to end this conflict before her husband found out. She knew that this would only ruin any chances of having a good anniversary.

"It was actually Louis' idea," Javert said with a smile. The large man walked over to the younger Auror and placed an arm around his shoulder. "If he is right, he could take my job one day!"

Louis looked down at his feet, feeling uncomfortable with receiving praise. "I just did what any Auror would do."

Christiane walked to the table and looked at the map of the cemetery. There were a series of red arrows drawn from the outside working their way inward. "How many Aurors do we expect to have?"

"It will be a joint task force. I have thirty Aurors from our ministry and a handful of others from the British Ministry."

"And what will their numbers look like?"

"There are five escapees from Azkaban and an unknown number of dark wizards that could have aided in their escape."

"Do we know how they got out?"

"Mary has a theory," Javert answered.

A small slender woman with straight brown hair and mousey features stepped forward from the group. Christiane did not recognize her but figured she must have been one of the extra Aurors sent to help with the capture of the fugitives.

Upon speaking, her English accent and English words were in sharp contrast to the French that was predominantly spoken around the room.

"Uh hum…" She said, in an attempt to gain everyone's attention. "It seems that a group of dark wizards broke into Azkaban disguised as ministry officials, using polyjuice potion. There plan was interrupted though when the true officials, including our beloved Minister, ran into these criminals in the act.

Their escape was bloody brilliant if you ask me. They had a port key that they used to escape, inkwells that chewed through stone and even flash paper. Aurors back at my ministry still don't know how they got past our very best tracking wards with their portkey."

"Which means we have no time to lose," Javert interjected. "Let's get going!"

The room was suddenly filled with a loud popping and snapping sound as the various witches and wizards disapparated from the room until only Javert and Christiane remained.

Alone in the room, Javert turned to his daughter, "I understand if you do not want to go with us. I knew that Édouard was very close to Lestat and I wouldn't want to put a strain on your relationship."

"It's okay papa. Édouard choose to work in the Aurors department for a reason. He knows what's right and what is wrong. I am sure that if he were here right now, that he would be going with us to apprehend Lestat."

Chapter 39

The House of Partée

Pere Lachaise Cemetery was blindingly dark. The only lights in the area were the street lights that lined the winding paths throughout the hallowed ground. A heavy white mist hugged the landscape as an innumerable amount of grey tombstones and mausoleums crowded the landscape in every direction.

There was one particular mausoleum that stood out amongst the rest for its black granite polished finish. It wasn't larger than the rest but the intricate detail and immaculate upkeep made it hard to believe that it was one of the oldest in the entire cemetery. The name "Partée" was inscribed atop a heavy black granite stone just above its' black iron gates. On either side of the entrance were two large grim reapers standing guard at the entrance.

There were many ghost stories told about the Pere Lachaise Cemetery but one of particular note was the infamous moving statues of Partée. Many claimed that the statues' heads would turn to watch those that passed by at night. The grim reapers had enough realistic detail to make them quite intimidating with their black flowing robes and large black scythes. Their heads were skulls and they had black pits for eyes. Legend states that they were considered the first twins of the Partée family.

The eerie silence of the cemetery was broken as a subtle whirling sound became louder and louder until a group of wizards and witches touched down on the ground, all holding a part of the portrait of Ekrizdis. The polyjuice potion had worn off hours ago and they were all back to their original forms.

Edouard was breathing heavily as he slowly pulled his fingertips away from the border of the portrait and onto the cool damp grass below. None of them spoke as they slowly collected themselves from what they had just experienced. It felt as if a heavy oppressive feeling had been lifted from their souls when they escaped Azkaban and the very essence that enveloped it.

Samuel was the first to get up and helped Mara and Nyima to their feet. They quickly began to walk away from the painting and the rest of the group.

"Hey, wait!" Edouard called as he got to his feet and followed them. "Where are you going?"

Samuel turned around to face Edouard, "We are getting away from them as fast as possible. They are bad news Edouard and I recommend you do the same if you know what is good for you."

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know but anywhere but here."

Edouard turned back to the group of Death Eaters who were now celebrating. One Death Eater went so far as to cast a lightning bolt into the sky that crackled and buzzed as they chanted "Pure Blood!" over and over again. He quickly realized that although they had a worked together for a common goal, these dark wizards could not be trusted.

Edouard turned back to Samuel, "Can you take Vert with you?"

"Yes," Samuel answered.

"Vert," Edouard called.

The small elf walked forward still in his Gork clothing, "Yes Monsieur?"

"Could you please take Samuel, Mara and Nyima back to Benedict's Island."

"Yes Monsiuer!" The elf replied cheerily.

"Do you remember how to get past the first two tasks?" Edouard asked.

"Yes." Vert replied, "Bartholomew taught me."

Edouard, turned to Samuel, "There's a I put in your bag, that will get you past the spiders. A prick of the finger will open the door and Vert will show you how to get passed the dueling table. I feel like the island will be the safest place to hide until things cool down."

"Thank you," Samuel said.

Edouard looked back and smiled, "Well, I guess this is it."

Nyima took a step forward and gave Edouard a big hug. Her big almond shaped eyes tearing up, "I will miss you Mr. Partée."

"And I will miss you Nyima Palden," Edouard said with a bow of his head.

"Will you write me?"

"Of course." Edouard replied.

Samuel extended a hand to which Edouard gave it a firm shake. "It's been a true privilege working with you Edouard. It is rare to find a wizard of your quality."

"Should you need anything," Edouard smiled, "I'm sure you will have a clever way of finding me."

Samuel laughed, "Of course and good luck with your brother's innocence. I hope it all works out for you."

"Hey chaps!" Oliver yelled as he ran from the group with his brother Daniel following behind him.

Samuel pulled out his wand and had it ready by his side.

"No need for that Yank," Oliver said, "We were just looking to hop a ride on out before these 'pure bloods' find out that my brother and I are not of the same stock."

"Ask Vert," Edouard said.

The small elf was staring at the wizard with a cold espression.

"No hard feelings about before little Auror," Oliver said nervously, "I just was trying to get my brother out. I have a nice new bowler cap with your name on it if you get us back over the channel."

Vert's hard stare broke into a smile as the small elf extended a hand to which Oliver shook.

"What about the Venetian?" Edouard asked.

"Now that Danny is finally free, I am done working with that lot," Oliver explained, "My new purpose in life is to make sure Danny doesn't get caught by some Auror and sent back to Azkaban. Maybe we will live like muggles for a while until this all blows over."

"Au revoir," Edouard said, shaking Samuel's hand one last time.

"Thank you," Mara mouthed.

There was a loud "crack" they had all vanished before his eyes. Edouard stood by himself for a moment with the cheering of the Death Eaters behind him before he turned around and rejoined the group.

"We did it brother!" Lestat Partée yelled as he turned to his brother whose blue and green eyes matched his own. Lestat embraced Édouard in a long hug and placed a kiss on either side of his cheeks. "I knew you would get me out of there! Pure Blood!" he yelled.

"Pure Blood!" all the other wizards responded except for Édouard.

Lestat pulled out his walnut "T" shaped wand and casted a large green fireball into the air. His weak hands started to feel like themselves again. Lestat's eyes glowed lovingly as he looked down at his wand.

Édouard got Lestat's attention, "brother we must prove your innocence to the ministry immediately."

Lestat looked at his initials that he engraved into the wand and gently caressed them, "Yes brother, there is plenty of time for that." The skinny deranged man standing before Édouard no longer looked like his mirror image.

Lestat went around shaking hands and embracing the various other dark wizards in the group along with the three other freed prisoners.

"Brother!" Édouard said again with agitation in his voice. Walking over, he grabbed Lestat by the shoulders and turned him around. "I freed you because you said you were innocent. You told me on your family, on our family honor that you did not kill those people!"

Lestat's smile quickly vanished as his gaze distanced. "Édouard, what you have to understand about that…"

But before he could finish his sentence the sound of a snapping twig quickly broke the silence that surrounded them.

Lestat's head quickly fired in the direction of the sound. "Did you hear that?" He whispered as his eyes scanned the darkness.

Suddenly there were a series of intense red flashes, as shouts of the word "Stupefy!" seemed to come from every direction. One of the Death Eaters took a red blast to the chest and collapsed to the ground unconscious.

The other dark wizards ducked instinctually as they missed being cursed by a matter of inches. Those with more magical reflexes blocked the spells and sent them flying into the night air. Lestat and Eduardo took refuge behind a large tombstone as red light whizzed overhead.

Lestat looked at his brother with eyes blazing "I will never go back!"

"Lestat!" Édouard yelled but his brother was already standing to his feet.

Lestat gave his wand another tight squeeze to reaffirm his grip before he muttered something that Édouard couldn't make out in the chaos that surrounded him. Lestat began to wave his wand over his head in a large arching circle as a small glimmer of light began to shimmer from the tip. In a matter of seconds the small glimmer turned into a brilliant green flame that seemed to grow longer and longer until a fiery ten foot whip hissed and crackled overhead.

Lestat flicked his wrist and cracked the whip in the direction of the first Auror that came at him. There was a white flash brighter than lighting and a loud boom louder than thunder as the Auror was sent flying through the air and into a tombstone.

"I still got it brother!" Lestat yelled over his shoulder, the green flecks in his eyes had an intense glow in the dark night. Lestat let out a menacing cackle before he quickly engaged two more Auorors.

Édouard could tell that the other dark wizards were simply out matched as they continually gave ground. It was only a matter of time before they had enough numbers to take down Lestat as well. Edouard found one of the masks that the death eaters had been wearing when they first met and secured it to his face in an attempt to hide his identity.

"We need to find a way out!" one of the freed prisoners cried as he sought refuge behind a tombstone.

"We have a family key!" Édouard yelled as he remembered that stored inside the mausoleum was a port key that went back to the Partée's Chateau in the mountains.

Édouard ran to the gate of the Partée mausoleum and bit his hand causing it to bleed. He smeared the blood on the iron gates before he uttered the family motto, "Oculi Virides." The black iron gates swung open to the mausoleum that was far greater on the inside than it was on the outside. From the outside it was no bigger than a large shed but on the inside it looked like a massive cathedral with marble columns accented with gold. There were stained glass windows of the various important Partée family members and lining the walls were hundreds of tombs going back for generations since time and memorial. Each tomb was sealed by a small door and on that door was a moving painting of the family member who had passed away. At the far end was an altar and on the altar was a golden egg. On the ceiling was a large moving mural of the legend of how the Partée family came to be.

Turning back to the wizards that accompanied him, Edouard realized that there were only five left against twenty or more Aurors. In the distance he saw a large man walking over a hill only fifty meters away.

"Javert is here!" Édouard said in fear. Grabbing his wand, he began to move it from side to side calling, "Piertotum Locomotor!"

There was a sudden cracking and ripping sound as the two large grim reaper statues began to move and set themselves free from their stands.

"Castor! Pullox! A Partée is in trouble and needs your help! Defend him with your lives!"

The two nine foot statues turned and nodded their heads in compliance and with an impressive speed, began to rush the various Aurors that had bombarded the mausoleum. The two statues whirled their stone scythes this way and that as they scattered the Aurors like leaves in the wind. Those that were able to cast spells on the statues were only able to knock off a few chunks of stone at a time.

Édouard turned to his brother who cracked his flaming whip again, "Brother, I've bought us time, let's go!"

"No Édouard, it ends tonight!"

"You are outnumbered! There is no way you can win! How can you prove your innocence if you are brought down fighting?"

"Forget my innocence! They stole my innocence when they sent me to Azkaban!"

Édouard ran to Lestat and turned him around. "Listen to me. There is no point in fighting this battle. You will lose and you will go right back to Azkaban. This is not the way you earn your freedom! You trusted in me and I freed you. Now continue to trust in me!"

The green glow began to subside in Lestat's eyes as he nodded his head in compliance, "Lead the way!"

Javert was only thirty meters away now. While his daughter controlled the ability to manipulate water, and his son-in-law had the ability to manipulate fire; Javert preferred to manipulate the very fabric of gravity itself.

One of the statues charged Javert with its' broken stone scythe prepared to swing a massive blow. Jumping into the air, it held the scythe over its head ready to strike down.

"Gravitas remotionem!" Javert calmly casted, causing the flying statue to continue to float through the air over his head. It was as if the statue was floating through space with no way to come back down to earth. When the statue swung down at Javert, missing his face by mere centimeters, the statue began to spin end over end in dizzying circles.

Once the statue was behind him, Javert called "gravitas pondas maximas!" and the statue fell to earth as though it was ten times its normal weight. It hit the ground with such speed and such force that the statue instantly crumbled into a hundred pieces.

Seeing what befell the first statue, the second statue charged, this time not taking a leap through the air. Its boney fingers were outstretched for Javert's throat.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Javert called with only seconds to spare. Grabbing a tombstone with his wand, he fired it through the air, taking out the lower portion of the statues body. The torso flung through the air and landed at Javert's feet.

The grim reaper's black holes for eyes looked up, only to see another tombstone hurtling down at its head. There was loud crack followed by the crumbling of rock as Javert hammered the statue into a million pieces over and over again.

"Father! It is done!" Christiane yelled as she grabbed her father's arm. "We need to get Lestat and his followers!"

Javert pointed his wand to the fragments of statue that lay on the ground. "Reducto!" he yelled and the statue was shattered beyond recognition. Then Javert spit on the remains before turning to his daughter and coldly proclaiming, "Now it is done."

Looking up, Christiane saw that the fight had moved into the mausoleum as red and green flashes glowed from the entrance. Running forward, she entered the large cathedral like hall and was awe struck by its beauty. She watched as only two of the dark wizards slowly backed to the altar, defending themselves from every spell that came at them. A golden egg sat upon the altar and shone brilliantly from a single beam of light that seemed to come from one of the windows.

She entered and behind her was Javert who was still imposing in the rather large doorway.

"Lestat!" Javert called as his voice boomed and echoed throughout the large mausoleum.

The fighting ceased as all the wizards stopped and turned to face Javert.

"It ends tonight! You and your accomplices are going back to Azkaban! You are cornered and have nowhere to go!"

"Never!" Lestat retorted with a hideous grin on his gaunt face. He raised his pale white wand into the air and pointed it towards Javert. "Avada!"

But before he could finish the curse, Édouard grabbed his arm and pointed it towards the ceiling where the green glowing light hit and left a putrid black burn mark into the family mural. The black burns grew like tendrils as they slowly consumed the mural in its entirety.

"You fool!" Édouard said. "What kind of monster have you become?"

"Exactly the kind I needed to be in order to survive in this world!" He answered.

"Then I am done with you!" Édouard said and turned to walk away. Taking a step from the altar, he froze as his gaze locked onto a large set of beautiful brown eyes, eyes that were slightly hidden from a tuft of blonde hair that had fallen over her face. "_mon amour"_ he whispered ever so quietly.

Christiane's gaze was cold and hardened but as she looked beyond the mask and locked gazes with the man at the altar, something in her demeanor changed.

"She cannot see me like this." Édouard said to himself. "What have I done?"

Eduard's left hand slowly reached forward for his wife when suddenly he was violently jerked back towards the altar.

"Accio!" Lestat's voice echoed.

The pull of the spell was so strong that Édouard felt the ring on his finger slip off as his brother's arm wrapped securely around his waist. He reached for the spinning gold circle but it was just out of reach as it tumbled away.

"I bid you adieu!" Lestat said with a cocky grin before placing his hand on the golden egg and disappearing from the mausoleum.

"No!" Javert roared with an almighty fury in his voice. Walking up to the altar he pounded his fists against it over and over again. The loud thuds of his hands echoed in the massive space of the mausoleum.

Christiane went to console her father when a small metal object clinked against her shoe. Bending down, she picked it up and held it in her hand. She could feel its roundness in her palm and placing it between her fingers she slowly rotated it until three stones were staring her right in the face. Two white diamonds were inset on either side of a red diamond. Her heart sank as she read the engraving on the inside, "Édouard Serge Partée."

Chapter 40

The Chateau

"You fool!" Édouard yelled as he grabbed his brother by the tattered shirt and pressed him to a wall. "I've lost everything because of you! My life is ruined!"

Billowed clouds of warm breath flowed from his mouth in the cold dark moonlit night. They were inside their family chateau which was located high in the French Alps, unreachable by any road or path.

Lestat lifted his arms in surrender, his blue green eyes staring into an almost identical pair. "You haven't lost everything."

Édouard let go of his brother's prison garb and walked towards the balcony. With a single wave of his wand and the call of "Oculi Virides" the entire chateau came to life. Candles lit, fires roared and sheets that protected the fine furniture were pulled away and stored. An old phonograph began to wind itself before playing Sonata No. 59 in E flat major by Joseph Haydn. The chateau was just as extravagant as the mausoleum had been. It was filled with priceless pieces of art, rare items from both the magical world and the non-magical alike. The walls were a dark green with blue vine work mixed in.

Édouard opened the large double doors and walked onto the grey stone balcony. The view was breathtaking as the bright full moon allowed for kilometers of visibility. The high rising peaks on either side glowed in the moonlight and the small village far away at the base of the mountain twinkled in the distance. It was chilly in the mountains even though it was late spring.

Édouard heard the footsteps of Lestat behind him as he walked onto the balcony and stood next to his brother.

"You know I haven't been here since we threw that summer party in fifth year." Lestat reminisced with a half cracked smile as he took in the view. "It was all going well until Anastasie lit the carpet on fire with that charm she was trying to work on you. What was it again?"

"A love charm" Édouard said with a slight smile and the shake of his head.

"That's right! She had the biggest crush on you. That was so long ago but I remember it like it was yesterday. We had so many good times back then. It's hard to believe Pursang was over ten years ago."

Édouard's smile slowly faded, "Lestat, in the mausoleum."

"I lost control." He admitted.

"Yeah but you were going to use an unforgivable curse. That's not just losing control that is something else, something I can't be a part of."

"I've changed Édouard. Actually Azkaban has changed me. That place… it turns men into monsters. You feel dark, alone, hopeless, like all the light in this world has been taken away."

"And your crimes?"

"It was an accident." Lestat answered as he looked away.

Édouard continued to press on, "When you were arrested, the newspapers said that you were trying to make a Philosopher's stone."

"Yeah and we were so close."

"What went wrong?"

"It was the final ingredient, do you know what the stone does?"

"It turns things into gold I thought?"

Lestat ran his hand along the cold rough stone of the balcony as he peered into the dark night.

"That's not all" He whispered as his thoughts began to reel him back to his incomplete work. "The stone gives life, long life, but in order to get that life… you must take life. We could never figure out why it was red until… he proposed it. We figured Flamel must of used something small like an animal to give him those hundreds of years but he wanted to live forever. He needed something bigger..."

"Who? Who wanted to live forever?"

Lestat turned to his brother. "Brother, you have to meet him. He is a Lord."

"A Lord?"

"Yes, he is smart and wise and strong. He values the old ways and the value of pure blood families. He has some followers but his movement, it is quickly growing fast."

Édouard shook his head in disagreement, "You know I don't believe in that. Any person should have the right to practice magic regardless of their blood."

"But brother, why should a man who is the first in his family to practice magic and has been doing so for only twenty years, have the right to pass laws on magical families who have been doing it for thousands! These mud blood officials and their backwards thinking. They are diluting the entire magical community. Do you remember the stories of the last time our two worlds met? They burned us by the thousands!"

"That was different."

"No, muggles fear what they don't understand. They fear what they cannot control. My Lord sees that and he is on a crusade to save our world before it is too late. Join us brother! Save what is left of our world before it disappears like a drop of blood in a pool of water."

"No, what you are proposing will only divide our world even more. The old ways were broken, they were oppressive. A person's blood should not dictate who they can be in life. There are many good wizards and witches who have been born to muggle parents. I will not stand by and watch some Lord oppress those people just so he can gain power."

"Look at us brother! We are part of one of the oldest wizarding families still in existence. Our blood is pure, our blood is powerful. In this current world that stands for nothing! I have been locked away in Azkaban for the better part of a decade and you… you are a glorified patrolman! We should be headmasters, judges and ministers of magic!"

"Enough of this!" Édouard said in disgust as he walked back into the chateau. "Father thought that way and I didn't agree with him either. You've changed, you never used to talk like that when we were younger. Brother you must open your eyes and see the world of tomorrow, not the world of yesterday. I cannot be a part of this, I am going back home to my wife."

Lestat followed his brother back into the living area. "You can't go back."

"Why is that?"

"Your ring, you lost it in the mausoleum. By now the Aurors know that you were the one to break me out. If you go back, they will lock you away in Azkaban. Come with me brother, Azkaban is no place for a man of your heritage."

"If I get locked away, so be it." Édouard said, not turning back to look at his brother.

There was a sudden "crack" before Édouard disapparated from the room, leaving his brother alone in the Portée Chateau.


	5. Part 5

Chapter 41

Us

Édouard found himself back in the hallway of his house that he had left earlier in the night. Walking as quietly as he could, he stopped in the entrance to the dining area where he found Christiane sitting at the dinner table in her Auror's robe with a pitcher of water and a full glass next to it. He also saw that she had moved a large vase from the living room and placed it onto a counter in the kitchen. There was no doubt that water was inside the vase as well.

He could tell she was on edge and didn't trust him. Her strongest magical ability was the manipulation of water and she had made it easily accessible throughout the house should she need to defend herself.

"How did it go?" Christiane asked coldly.

"Look… I" Édouard said but he stammered over his words.

"No, you look!" She said, and tossed his ring across the room at him. "It all makes sense now. The disappearing act that you had going on and now tonight on our anniversary, how dare you!"

Édouard caught the ring in his hand and looked at it. Without saying a word, he slipped it back onto his ring finger.

"I found that in your family mausoleum, moments after Lestat disappeared with one other person. Now who do you think that could have been?"

Édouard exhaled and dropped his shoulders. "It was me."

"Why?"

"It was my brother. He told me he didn't do it. I just couldn't let him rot in Azkaban for a crime he did not commit."

"No! Why didn't you tell me? I am your wife! You should be able to tell me anything. If you thought your brother was innocent, don't you think you could have come to me? My father is the head of the Auror's department here. He could have looked into it for us? Maybe we could have all looked into his case together!"

"Your father wouldn't have listened to him or me or anyone for that matter. The man is a machine who does not see the world in anything but black and white. Guilty or innocent, there is no in-between with that man. If I would have gone to him he would have probably wondered how Lestat was able contact me rather than actually look into his case."

"That's not the point. The point is that I am your wife. I am a part of your life and if you can't let me in on something like this, then how are we supposed to have a relationship? How are we supposed to have a marriage if my husband is running off at night to free his brother from Azkaban? You know I actually thought it was my fault that our marriage was going so badly? I thought, maybe I am working too hard and have neglected my family. Maybe if I take some time with my husband on OUR anniversary, that I could save this marriage but you know what I realized tonight? I realized that one person cannot save a marriage. It takes two people."

Christiane was flustered as her face turned red. She ran her hand through her blonde hair and readjusted herself in her seat. Shaking her head in frustration she placed her hands over her face before leaning back in her seat again. "And what about Timothee? You have a son. What is he going to do if you are locked away in Azkaban? How am I to raise him by myself if you are locked up? Did you think for one second that this could come back to hurt us all? And if you did consider us for one fraction of a second, when did that risk seem acceptable to you? If this got out, not only would you be in jail, but I could lose my job as an Auror! What would we do then Édouard? How do we raise our son then?"

Édouard noticed the water in the glass began to ripple. He also saw that her wand was sitting in her lap.

She looked up at him after a moment with a look of genuine frustration and confusion. "And so you decided that breaking your brother out of prison would have been the best way to prove his innocence?"

Édouard felt backed into a corner. He knew that she was right. The idea of freeing his brother had consumed him and in that moment of complete devotion, he had distanced himself from the one thing he had cared about most, his family. He had put their very lives in danger with his foolish actions.

"I don't know what I was thinking. He is my brother, I love him. If he says he is pain, I have to come to his aid. I was always there for him growing up and now, I feel like I abandoned him all these years…"

"I am not mad at you for wanting to help your brother. I am upset with you because you didn't let me in. I am upset with you because you didn't trust me. I am upset with you because you put your entire family at risk with your decision. Did you know that there are Aurors outside our home, just in case Lestat comes here to try and make contact with you?"

"Aren't they looking for me?"

"No."

"What about the ring?"

"I found it and I didn't tell anyone. I wanted to talk to you first. What do you think is going through my mind when I find my husband with a bunch of dark wizards? I didn't know if you had lost your mind or if you were under the imperius curse. I didn't know if you would come back and try to hurt me or our son."

"Never" Édouard immediately replied on reflex. "I don't know what to say."

"Eduard, how about you say you're sorry?"

"I am sorry." He replied. Walking over to his wife he knelt down before her and grabbed her hands in his. Her hands were cold compared to his and he began to gently caress them in an attempt to warm them up. His blue green eyes met hers. "I am so sorry. I should have come to you and I should have talked to you about it. I will never make this mistake again."

"I could lose my job if this gets out."

"I know… I will find a way to make this right. I promise I will do everything in my power to turn this around. I don't care if I have to go to your father, I will do whatever needs to be done."

"There you go again! You have this mindset that you have to do everything yourself!" Christiane yelled, as she stood from her chair and pulled her hands away from his. "Can you not ask me for help?"

There was a sharp knock at the door as Javert's deep voice came from the other side. "Is everything ok in there?"

Édouard stood to his feet as his wife headed towards the door and opened it. The large imposing body of Javert filled most of the frame as his head poked around to get a look.

"Édouard," He greeted. "No doubt my daughter has informed you of the situation."

"She has." Édouard answered nervously.

"Well let me tell you that I will do my best to make sure that we bring your brother in safely. If you see anything or hear anything, be sure to contact me ok?"

"I will" Édouard responded.

Christian grabbed the door knob and gave it a slight nudge, "Papa, he is tired. We were about to head to sleep. Can we continue this in the morning?"

"Of course." He answered and he was out the door and heading down the stairs.

Christiane closed the door and locked it shut. Turning to look at her husband she raised her hands in surrender. "I don't know what to do."

Édouard walked towards her and wrapped his arms around his wife. He could smell the lilac lotion that she used on her skin and it was strangely calming. Pulling back to look into her eyes, he let out a deep sigh. "I know what we can do. Let's go to the Monte Carlo. Let's not let this night go to waste. In the morning we can go and figure this out but for now, let's enjoy what remains of our anniversary."

Her eyes searched his face as she felt his hands trembling around her waist. He was shaken just as much as she was and he needed her more than ever.

"Okay," She whispered, squeezing his body with her arms.

They held each other for a long time in the hallway of their house, not wanting to let the other go. "Mon amour," He whispered in the darkness of the hallway.

Chapter 41

Suspicions

_Outside of the Partée house_

Javert reached the bottom of the stairs where Louis was standing watch. The street was empty this late at night with only a black alley cat trotting across at the end of the street. The black cat turned to the two men on the sidewalk and let out a high pitched hiss before scurrying deep into the bushes.

Upon hearing his superior come down, Louis turned and asked, "Anything?"

"Well he's back," Javert said.

"Did he say where he was tonight?"

"I didn't ask, but the English Ministry said that he hasn't been working for them tonight."

"Really?"

"Yes." Javert answered as the two men walked down the street. "I bet you anything he was the second wizard at the cemetery tonight. I bet you he helped his brother escape."

"Do you think Christiane knows?"

"I think she suspects something but I am not sure if she believes it. She could be blinded by her infatuation for the man. I never really trusted him. The Partée's have produced just as many dark wizards as they have good ones. The dual nature of twins in that family has always made them volatile. It was only a matter of time before his bad blood took over."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I put a tracking spell on both their wands when they let me into the house. If they go anywhere, we will know. I am just waiting for him to slip up and lead me to Lestat. If he does, I will have them both!"

Chapter 42

The Die is Cast

The Venetian sat on a large leather chair in a private office surrounded by numerous priceless artifacts. His desk was a large deep mahogany with legs that were carved in the image of dragons. Placed in the center of his desk was the triangular metal case with the image of a priest holding a glowing medallion.

A masked Death Eater stood across from his desk, "My Lord is not pleased at what happened tonight."

"The things that happened were unfortunate," The Venetian said, "But as I have already told your Lord, there is nothing I can do. My promise was that I would get the prisoners out of Azkaban."

"Out of Azkaban?" the Death Eater scoffed, "They're back in Azkaban right now!"

The Venetian's right eye winced as the rest of his expression remained calm, "They were out when they were caught. It's not my fault that they were stupid enough to hang about like a bunch of buffoons instead of hiding."

"We have more members in Azkaban now. We must break them out. My Lord said he would be willing to oversee the next attempt personally."

"That is not possible," the Venetian sighed.

"And why is that?" The Death Eater asked.

"The painting used as a portkey is now in the hands of the ministry. We planned that breakout for months and I am sure that the Ministry will undoubtedly be on high guard for the next decade after their little fiasco tonight. To break into Azkaban a second time would be futile."

"Then how will you compensate my Lord?"

"I held my end of our agreement to the letter. If your Lord has a problem with our negations, then we can happily take our case to the Diadochi and let them decide."

"My Lord doesn't answer to those oafs," the Death Eater hissed.

The Venetian cocked his head, "Be careful wizard. You are making powerful enemies right now."

The Death Eater's eyes widened, "We will see." The Death Eater turned and stormed out of the office.

The Venetian let out a long sigh of annoyance before leaning forward in his finely crafted suit and delicately opened the triangular engraved box to reveal a blue stone inside.

"Bello," the Venetian whispered as he delicately reached his hand into the box and pulled out the stone. Holding it into the air, it was clear and heavy like a giant sapphire. The stone was square cut with hundreds of facets that caught the light just right.

"Interesting," The Venetian said as he closed the iron triangular box and observed that the stone on the front was round in shape and not square.

Standing to his feet, the Venetian walked past a series of old Italian swords until he came to a large tome placed on a medieval metal stand. Flipping through the pages of Benedict Arnold's First Edition of Rare Magical Items, he found that the stone in his hand did not match the stone in the drawing. He flipped a few more pages until he found the picture of his bracer and the details matched perfectly. Nervously turning a few more pages, he found that the Time-Turner was also a perfect match, even down to the worn down writing on the gyroscopic rings.

"Mort!" The Venetian called impatiently.

An old house-elf with brown eyes, cropped pointed ears and a sharp pointed nose appeared out of thin air. "Il Padrone di casa," The old house-elf greeted reverently with a very deep bow.

"What is this?" The Venetian demanded as he tossed the blue stone to Mort.

The house-elf caught the stone out of the air and held it to the light. "It is but a sapphire padrone."

"Just a sapphire?"

"A very fine, old sapphire padrone, but yes, a sapphire."

"What does a house-elf know," The Venetian hissed in anger, "give me the stone!"

The house-elf walked forward and took one knee as it lifted the stone with both hands over its bowed head. The Venetian walked by the elf and snatched the blue stone before sitting back at his desk.

"Just a sapphire you say Mort?" The Venetian repeated for a second time. "Mort, bring me Lestat from the house of Partée."

"Right away Padrone," The Elf said and vanished from the room. Moments later, the elf appeared with the Lestat.

"Do I know you wizard?" Lestat asked with a polite bow of his head.

"I am the one who made it possible for your brother to free you from Azkaban."

"Then I am in your debt wizard," Lestat replied, "But what should I call you?"

"I am the Venetian and I hear that you were an alchemist before they sent you away to Azkaban. Is this true?"

"It is."

The Venetian placed the large blue stone on the table and slid it across his desk towards Lestat, "Then could you tell me what you know about this stone?"

Lestat walked forward and picked up the stone from the table. Examining it in the light and tapping it with his nail, he listened to the sound it made. "If I am not mistaken this is a regular sapphire. Valuable I would imagine, given the size, but still just a sapphire."

The corner of The Venetian's calm expression changed as his face turned a shade of red. In a trembling voice he asked, "And how can you tell."

"As an alchemist, you get used to the feel of magically infused objects. They have a sort of energy, a sort of life of their own that you can sense. This stone doesn't have any palpable energy. I am sorry I couldn't have been more help." Lestat apologized as he placed the large sapphire onto the table and slid it back towards The Venetian.

The Venetian sat for a long moment with his fist balled on the table, staring without blinking at the large stone on his desk.

"Monsieur Venetian? Do you need anything else?" Lestat asked, waking The Venetian out of his trance.

"Ah yes, Lestat, thank you for your help. Let me reward you."

"That is not necessary."

"Oh but Mr. Partée, I insist," The Venetian said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small golden galleon. The printed face of a goblin was face up as The Venetian slid the coin across the table.

"I have never seen such a coin before," Lestat said as he picked up the coin and examined it.

"I believe it will be of more help to you than you know. I have been told that one but has to place that coin on a map in order to find something that is very precious to them."

"Well I appreciate the gift." Lestat said as he held the coin up in the air.

"Caio," The Venetian said in farewell.

"Au Revoir," Lestat said before he disapparated from the room.

The small house-elf walked towards the door and bowed, "Padrone, can I be of any more service to you?"

"No Mort," The Venetian replied, "Alea iacta est."

Chapter 43

The Falling Stars

It was 11:45pm by the time Christian and Édouard reached the Monte Carlo hotel. One of the finest hotels in the country, its' lobby reflected what was one of the pinnacles of establishment. The concierge's desk was a rich dark wood with a golden brass trim. There was a large Napoleonic fountain that shot water in various arcs from one basin into another. The sound of flowing water was soothing to Christiane.

Pointing to the fountain, Christiane nudged her husband, "Where we had our first kiss!"

Édouard smiled and planted a kiss on his wife's lips.

The walls were a light shade of yellow and three enormous crystal chandeliers hung in the center of the lobby. There was only one bellhop still on duty at this hour and two men with mops cleaned the marble floors near the entrance.

On the other side of the lobby were a bar and a five star restaurant that was open twenty four hours. The bar had a few occupants but the restaurant was pretty much empty except for a single man who sat reading a newspaper.

As they finished checking into the hotel at the concierge's desk, the couple headed towards the elevators at the far end of the lobby when something odd caught the eye of Édouard. It was the man reading the newspaper. The man at the table sat with his face hidden behind the newspaper while his hand danced over a candle causing the flame to move. The flame grew, shrunk, spiraled and twirled in a way that was all too familiar to Édouard.

Édouard stopped in his tracks causing his wife to do the same.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's Lestat." He answered

Upon hearing his name, Lestat folded the newspaper closed. "Brother," He said with a smirk on his face.

"Not now Lestat, we can talk at a later moment."

Lestat got up from his chair and headed over towards Eduard and Christiane.

"This must be Christiane. What a pleasure to meet you," He said with a slight bow. "I am sorry I wasn't able to make it to the wedding but I was otherwise engaged…. In legal affairs."

"Not now Lestat!" Edouard repeated, this time with more agitation in his voice.

Christiane felt uncomfortable meeting Lestat. She had seen him from a far in the mausoleum but now it was different. Now it was a more personal setting and he was talking to her directly. His resemblance to her husband was striking. It was as if she was looking at her husband of a different life. His face was skinnier than Eduard's and his hair was straggly and unkempt but his eyes were exactly the same. It was the same intense royal blue with glowing flecks of green. His eyes seemed to shine in the dim lit setting.

"Lestat" A deep voice boomed from the other end of the Lobby. Walking in from the street entrance was Javert. He towered over the two men cleaning the entrance as he entered through the doors and slowly walked towards them.

Lestat turning his eyes towards Javert, broke into a half smile and began to walk towards the imposing man.

"If you come with me peacefully, this doesn't have to be bad for you. I am here to bring you back to Azkaban for your crimes of murder and now to face judgment for your escape."

Lestat chuckled to himself and cocked his head playfully, "See that's the thing old man, if you bring me in, then you are going to have to bring my brother in as well. He is the one who helped me escape. But you already knew that, didn't you? You already planned on bringing him in. You never really trusted him."

"What is he talking about Papa?" Christiane asked.

Lestat continued, "Oh I was there, outside your place. While they were watching you, I was watching them. Does a black cat at the end of the street ring a bell? Javert was on to my brother's plans and he even went so far as to track your wands."

"Is that true?" Christiane asked.

"It is." Javert answered, denying nothing. "I had to do what was necessary. These two men are evil Christiane and they must be brought to justice."

Lestat raised a single finger, "See, now that's where you made a mistake. I am not going anywhere."

In a flash, Lestat whipped out his wand, pointed it at Javert and yelled "Confringo!" but Javert was able to deflect it. The spell flew away at a sharp angle and hit a large painting, causing it to explode into a ball of fire. Javert in turn fired his own spell at Lestat who was able to duck out of the way. Lestat rolled on the floor and stopped on one knee at the table with the candle. Pointing his wand, he placed it near the flame and yelled "Engorgio!"

"Lestat! Please don't do this!" Édouard pleaded but his words fell on deaf ears.

Christiane was doing the same for her father to stop but he was already too consumed by the fight.

The small timid flame grew into a massive fire ball. Lestat's eyes grew with excitement as the flame roared at the end of his wand.

"Deprimo!" he shouted and the fire ball hurtled towards Javert, roaring as it went.

Javert held his wand in both hands and braced himself for impact. "Protego!" his voice boomed. A blue light came out of his wand forming a wall which the fireball bounced off from and headed straight towards Lestat.

To Javerts disbelief, Lestat caught the fire ball in his hand and held it there. Lestat looked up from the glowing ball; his eyes were an intense green. "I am a pyromancer you fool. Fire cannot harm me!"

The men and women who were in the lobby screamed as they ran for the exits. Others dove for cover as the fight continued to escalate. The fire on the painting continued to grow as it crawled half way up the wall.

Javert pointed to a statue with his wand and freed it from its base with the words "Gravitas remotionem!" The statue floated in the air free of its gravitational force and then with a slashing motion he redirected it towards Lestat.

Lestat saw the statue flying towards his person and dove out of the way for a second time. Just as he recovered, he found a large table flying towards him. As it came within a few meters of crushing him, he grabbed his wand and made a violent swinging motion, cutting the table in half as a large green flaming whip snapped down. The two burning halves tumbled past him, nearly hitting Christiane and Édouard.

Seeing this only enraged the two fighting wizards and they charged each other, Lestat's whip crackling, booming and flashing in the air and Javert with a set of floating objects that he fired towards Lestat.

The fire on the wall had consumed most of the entrance to the lobby, causing the building to creek and moan. The large flames roared and gave off a violent heat as it continued to grow.

"Incendio!" Lestat cursed and a large white blinding flame roared out from his wand.

The flames poured out like dragon's breath against Javert's shield. Javert was forced to one knee as the flames pressed down on him. His knuckles were in excruciating pain as the skin on them began to blister from the heat.

"You have to stop them!" Christiane said as she watched with horror.

She turned to the fountain and with a whirl of her wand, created a giant ball of water which she began to move towards the lobby. "I'll try and stop the fire before this building comes down on our head!"

Édouard left his wife's side and ran towards the two fighting men.

"Impreio!" Javert shouted, causing Lestat's eyes to cloud over as he lowered his wand in a zombie like state. Lestat tried to fight the unforgivable curse but his body would not respond.

Javert got to his feet and pressed his wand into Lestat's chest. His face shook with uncontrollable rage as he looked down upon the helpless dark wizard.

"Gravitas pondas maximas!" He bellowed, his voice boomed with a lion's fury.

There was a bone curdling crack, as Lestat's body fired backwards with such force that he smashed into the stone fountain and all but shattered its' base.

"No!" Édouard yelled as he ran to his brother's body. Water gushed from the quickly emptying pool as Lestat lay motionless on the ground.

"Brother!" Édouard said as he held Lestat's body in his arms. He cleared the hair that was in his face as blood began to pour from a wound on his head.

Lestat slowly opened his eyes to look at his brother. His blue eyes were dazed as they rolled from side to side in his head. He tried to focus but was unable to.

"I can't see…" he whispered.

"It's ok. I'm here," Édouard whispered back as the tears began to freely fall from his cheeks. He hugged the weakened body of Lestat in his arms unable to keep in his emotion.

"Brother, I am sorry for…" but before Lestat could finish his sentence, his body began to convulse violently and without warning his body collapsed and went cold. The grip on his wand released and was flushed into the lobby as the water continued to pour from the broken fountain.

Édouard held the body of his brother until the entire fountain had emptied and there was nothing but a drip. In the distance the sirens of the police and fire departments filled the air above the shouts from the large crowd that had gathered outside the hotel. Many of the people had evacuated from the burning building.

"Father I can't stop the fire. It is out of control!" Christiane said as the water she had gathered was all but gone. "Aguamenti!" She casted, sending a jet of water towards the torrents of flame that continued to burn. "This is pyromancer's fire, I cannot stop it!"

Édouard heard the heavy footsteps of Javert come from behind him.

"It was the only way." Javert's said coldly. "Now come with me."

Édouard slowly lowered his brother's body into the pool of water and stood to his feet. Turning around, he faced Javert with his wand clutched firmly at his side. The green in his eyes burned brighter than ever before but his face was an emotionless mask. Water dripped from his long dirty blonde hair and into his soaked clothing. His heart hammered in his chest as the adrenaline in his veins caused a slight tremble in his hands. Édouard looked detached as he whispered, "Avada Kedavra."

The lobby was filled with a bright green flash as Javert's large body crumpled and then rolled backwards as it hit the ground. It was as if the very essence of life had been turned off within his body like a light switch turned dark. His arms splayed out as his wand hit the ground and skidded across the wet floor.

Édouard rigid grasp on his wand was suddenly released and it clattered to the floor. A horrible blood curdling scream rose above the roar of the flames and shook him from his dazed stupor. It was Christiane and she stood with her shaking hand held to her mouth as she had witnessed the murder of her father. The flames in the lobby raged behind her as the emotion in her face slowly drained into a stunned look of disbelief.

"What have I done?" Édouard said to himself. His head throbbed as his thoughts drove him in a million different directions and a million different emotions.

There was a loud cracking boom coming from the lobby that sounded like small explosions.

Édouard locked eyes with his stunned wife just as the roof above her head collapsed. Heavy beams and broken pieces of plaster rained down causing a blinding cloud of debris where his wife had been. Édouard ran into the debris and searched through the pile until he found her outstretched hand.

"Christiane!" He called as he frantically dug through the rubble. Clearing away a large piece of plaster he found his wife pinned to the ground, a large steel support beam protruding from her abdomen.

"No! No! No! No! No!" His shaking voice said over and over again. Édouard wiped the dirt and hair away from his wife's face. The heat from the fire all around him burned at his skin but the pain was far from the pain that he felt in his heart.

Slowly opening her eyes, Christiane looked at her husband with a feeble look of deep seeded sadness. Her deep brown eyes said what the rest of her body could not. She opened her mouth to speak but her body jerked violently as she coughed up a large amount of blood.

Édouard grabbed his wife's hand and squeezed it gently as he knelt over her, his forehead pressed to hers. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. I love you. I am sorry. I just don't know what… I." He wailed. He knew there were no words that could fix what he had done. No actions that could bring back all that he had shattered.

"I love you." He whispered but the roars of the flames nearly drowned out his words.

Then he felt the slightest squeeze of his hand from his wife. Pulling his head away from hers, he looked as she feeble mouthed back, "I love you" before the strength in her hand released and the expression of pain on her face slowly drained away. Her pupils dilated and she was gone.

Édouard raised his head to the heavens and let out a sound of such pain and torment that it was as if his very soul was crying out of his body.

Now, the very skin on his body began to burn but he refused to move away from his wife's body. His wet clothes steamed and the smoke caused his eyes to burn. There was a loud "crack" and Édouard felt a small hand grab his shoulder.

"Monsieur, you must come with me!" Vert yelled over the roar of the fire but Édouard just shook his head no.

"Please Monsieur! I can get you both out of here!" Vert pleaded.

"No, this is where I belong!" Édouard called back. Turning to Vert, he grabbed the elfs hand palm side up where he saw the cut from the basilisk fang, and dropped two golden rings and a blue necklace into his palm. "Take these to Samuel, he will know what to do with them. And tell my son that I loved him! Tell him that we loved him. That I am sorry I could not be there to see him grow up. That I was too selfish to be the father he truly deserved. Take care of him, look after him for me. You have to be his family now."

There was a large cracking sound above them as the ceiling prepared to give way again. Looking up, Édouard saw that the rest of the ceiling was about to fall and pushed Vert out of the way as the roof came crashing down.

Vert rolled on his back, just barely missing being crushed by a large crystal chandelier. It sounded like a thousand glasses breaking at once as it hit the marble floor. Vert then shielded his green eyes as another blast of heat came roaring up as more oxygen from the hole in the ceiling fueled the fire. He looked for Édouard but couldn't see him in the new cloud of dust that had been kicked up.

Tears began to flow down the small elf's face as he whispered, "Goodbye my family," And with sudden "crack" he was gone.

Lying on his back, pinned to the ground, Édouard felt the crushing weight of a steel support beam pressing against his chest. His side ached and a warm wet liquid flowed from his back. Barely able to move, he rolled his head over to his side where he saw the hand of his wife still outstretched. Reaching with all his might, he felt something tear inside of his chest as he wrapped his hand around hers and gave it one last squeeze. Feeling the last remnants of strength leave his body, he looked back up to the ceiling where for a moment he saw the black night sky above. The stars were a brilliant display of glistening and glittering dots amongst a black back drop. Streaking from one side to the other were two stars that fell side by side as before they disappeared into the black.

"Mon Amour" Édouard whispered and closed his eyes.

Chapter 44

A Promise

_September 1__st__ 2002_

An old grey Wizard wearing black dress robes waddled down the path of a long French garden with tall dancing fountains and hundreds of colorful flowers in every direction. His feet crunched along the tan stone gravel while he held the hands of two little girls on either side of him.

The girls wore baby blue dress robes with a gold crest on their chest. The crest consisted of two crossed golden wands with three shooting stars from either end. The girls were identical with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes that had brilliant green flecks in them.

The girls peered at a large powder blue carriage at the end of the path that was being drawn by twelve of the largest winged Abraxan horses they had ever seen. A very tall woman stood at the open door to the carriage welcoming the small first year boys and girls as they climbed aboard.

There were small sniffles from the two girls as they wiped away the tears from their cheeks. The older wizard gave the girls a hug to sooth their mourning.

"Emilie Christiane Partée and Mirabella Mara Partée," The old wizard said in a shaky voice, "I told you this story not that you may focus on how your grandparents died but instead to understand how they lived and how they loved. They believed in an equal world for us all where muggle and magic could come together. That is the true story that you have heard today."

"Monsieur Redd," Emilie said, as she looked down at a blue diamond ring on a silver chain, "Why did you take us to school instead of papa?"

"Ah yes, that is a good question Emilie" Samuel said, "The reason why your father is not here today, is due to the fact that your father does not want to practice magic. The loss of his parents to the magical world affected him greatly. In a single night, he lost his entire family, all except for one grandmother. To him, magic will never the beautiful thing that his parents wanted him to see. To him, magic is the reason why he lost everything."

"But why does he let us go to Magic school?" Mirabella asked, her red stoned ring dangling from the end of her necklace as she walked.

"Because he believes that you should still have the option to practice magic if you so desire. A promise he made to your grandmother before she passed some time ago."

They were only a few feet from the carriage now and the girls looked nervously as they studied the other kids around them. Some were playing magical games they did not recognize while others traded cards with pictures that moved. It was a strange new world to them but at their core, they were truly excited and eager to explore all it had to offer.

"Is my middle name Mara after your wife?" Mirabella asked.

"It is," Samuel answered.

"Did our Papa meet your wife?" Emilie said.

"He did, and it was right before he decided to walk away from the magical world," Samuel said somberly, "But that is a tale for another day. And if you come back with good marks after your first year, I might be so inclined to share some of the legendary stories of Oliver and his Wiz kids."

The two girls looked at each other and grinned in excitement upon hearing Samuel's promise.

Samuel knelt down to get to equal height with the two girls, "Remember to always lookout for each other and stand up for those who cannot stand for themselves. It is easy to consider another different from you but a good witch or wizard will take the time to understand how we all are the same. Remember that your actions will have consequences and never forget that what we do is for family."

"For Family," The girls repeated in unison.

The girls hugged Samuel before turning to the carriage and running up the golden stairs. Samuel rose to his feet and gave Madam Maxime a polite nod. He watched as all the children loaded onto the carriage before the large white Abraxan horses galloped down the long open path of the garden, flapping their wings and taking flight into the air.

"I can hear you my old friend," Samuel said softly. Looking down towards his side, a small elf in blue robes appeared. His big green eyes still had the same vibrant energy as the day he first saw them but his face seemed to have aged with time. He had deep set wrinkles in his face and white hair that grew out of his folded ears that were tucked under a black bowler cap.

Samuel looked down towards Vert with his half moon spectacles, "Will you be looking after them as well?"

Vert gave a nod of his head before looking back up at the sky where the carriage was nothing more than a small speck on the horizon. Side by side the Wizard and the Elf slowly walked back down the garden pathway towards their home.

The End


End file.
